At first glance, the upcoming thriller The Girl On The Train feels like the natural successor to 2014’s Gone Girl – being a film adaptation of a female-led, female-penned bestselling novel, with a plot that focuses on marital strife, psychological intrigue and the disappearance of a woman. But, now that the first trailer has arrived for this highly anticipated project, it is clear that this film is very much its own beast.
Based on the book of the same name by Paula Hawkins, The Girl On The Train is scripted by Erin Cressida Wilson (Secretary, Men, Women & Children), and directed by Tate Taylor (The Help, Get On Up). Its impressive cast comprises Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Luke Evans, Justin Theroux, Rebecca Ferguson, Laura Prepon, Edgar Ramirez, Allison Janney and Lisa Kudrow, and the synopsis of the novel gives some indication of the complex narrative that rolls along like a locomotive.
“Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.
“And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?”
The trailer delivers a tantalising glimpse of a powerful central performance from Emily Blunt, as a woman whose life is swiftly unravelling, while her talented co-stars provide sterling support. The test for The Girl On The Train then, will not be in the work of the actors, but rather, it will be in whether the direction and screenplay can maintain the necessary tension and suspense throughout the proceedings. All will be revealed when the movie pulls in to theatres on October 7th, 2016.
