I read The Girl on the Train recently. I was reluctant to read Paula Hawkins’ “debut” novel (she has written previously under a non deplume), as I was unsatisfied by Gillian Flynn’s thriller Gone Girl and I thought this looked like more of the same (it was also irritating that it used a title that already had two movies with it in circulation and there would be an inevitable third). Even halfway through reading it I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Somehow I was convinced the big reveal would be disappointing or at some point the author would run out of gas in her tank. Yet, as I approached the ending, my appreciation for what a slick page-turner this was grew.
Rachel Watson is an alcoholic divorcee living outside of London. Her employment background is advertising or personal relations, yet she has become a complete mess. Once a looker, she has put on an embarrassing amount of weight. Her drinking problem is so bad that blackouts are pretty standard for her. She has lost all sense of self-respect, and her future is looking pretty grim. On her same train ride into the city every day, she has memorised every detail of her journey, including a voyeuristic interest in a couple whose backyard sits in a full enough view from her window. Because she has no life of her own or interest in having one, she invests a great detail of attention into the couple, creating a backstory for them, even giving them names. When the wife disappears, ever the drama queen that Rachel is, she inserts herself into the investigation in every way imaginable.
The book is divided up into three points of view and two different timelines, building to a gradual convergence. The transitions are quite smooth, and the switches from character to character often felt fresh and sometimes amusing. Hawkins makes observations about women and society’s view of them in the context of motherhood. She also rather shrewdly alludes to the Lacey Peterson murder, while noting how our sympathies can change and why, based on information whether true or not, which plays into our assumptions we have about people and their choices in life. A lot of readers can identity with Rachel, who perhaps an extreme example of someone suffering from depression.
At times, the book reaches to quite ludicrous lengths. Artistic license is taken on certain motivations of some characters, yet Hawkins manages to finesses the edges in just a way that allows the reader to buy into the minor contrivances and coincidences. She has a clear and intoxicating style that I didn’t experience with Gone Girl, even when her protagonist continues to make unbelievable and foolish choices. The writing was so pleasing and addictive, that as the finale approaches, I was actually prepared to be content with a commonplace ending. Yet, the author wraps up the story with a humdinger that, while grandiose, ties into the themes of the story so well, and offers a very pleasing conclusion.
As it has been announced that Dreamworks is making the book into a film starring Emily Blunt as Rachel, directed by Tate Taylor, from an adaptation by Erin Cressida Wilson (Secretary). Taylor hasn't proven himself with a thriller before so it does seem like an odd match on the surface. But, if the script is anything like the book, it'll already be taut material that will be difficult to screw up. And Taylor does have an appreciation for female characters, and like The Help (his biggest hit thus far), this will be an adaptation of a story told from three different female perspectives. What’s exciting for Blunt is that this will be the talented actresses’ most high-profile role yet, as it will build on the momentum she is sure to produce with the recent release Sicario. With a healthy fan-base and demand, Train is guaranteed to be a hit, so it’s wonderful that she’ll finally be getting exposed to larger audiences. Also, she plays an unlikable character who seeks redemption. Paperback thrillers don’t exactly spell out Oscar. But, with a possible weight gain, I wouldn’t be surprised by an Oscar nomination for her. Haley Bennett (she’ll also be in the upcoming remake of The Magnificent Seven) will play Megan (the part may be too AMPAS-unfriendly) and Rebecca Ferguson (The White Queen) will play Anna. My casting suggestion for Tom would be Jon Hamm, but apparently the studio is going with Jared Leto or Chris Evans. Production Designer: Kevin Thompson (Birdman, Michael Clayton). Producer: Marc Platt (Bridge of Spies, Drive, Into the Woods, Rachel Getting Married, Nine, and the upcoming La La Land, and Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk). Also, the movie is moving from the London suburbs to the New York City boroughs.
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