The Girl on the Train Review: A Haphazard Thriller!

The Girl on the Train, the latest 2021 release on Netflix India, is based on Paula Hawkins’ 2015 novel of the same name and stars Parineeti Chopra and Aditi Rao Hydari in the lead roles with Kirti Kulhari and Avinash Tiwary as the supporting cast. Directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, this movie, unlike the typical “whodunnit” murder mysteries, takes a distinctive route to unravel the narrative but ultimately misses the parameter of making a thriller look and seem as exciting as possible.

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The story of The Girl on the Train revolves around Mira Kapoor (Parineeti Chopra), an alcoholic, recent divorcee, and a mentally unstable person who suffers from amnesia and refuses to get over things in due time. Part of her daily routine includes chugging vodka and traveling aimlessly in a local train as she reminisces her happy days through the brief happenings which take place during her commute. As the narrative takes us through her everyday journey, it takes a turn when Mira gets herself stuck in a bizarre situation surrounding the murder of an individual she admires.

Beginning with the positives, The Girl on the Train, regardless of the engagement factor, moves at a decent pace. The brisk two-hour runtime fits the narrative as it does not feel overstretched to any extent. Furthermore, to be fair, there are a few intriguing plot points here and there which kept the film moving, and the climax was something that surprised me with its direction rather than taking the obvious route.

However, barring the limited amount of positives, the narrative of The Girl on the Train suffers for the most part and should be very disappointing if you’re looking forward to watching an intelligently written film. And this is where I think the “Netflix’s Way of Life” factor kicks in, cause after a busy week, are you really optimistic to check out a mystery-thriller that needs your brain to work while you’re chilling on the couch?

But that does not make me overlook the problems I’ve had with this film which range from glaring loopholes and thoroughly logicless scenes. Most importantly, the single most necessary attribute for a thriller is the actual thrill, and writers, Ribhu Dasgupta and Viddesh Malandkar, who adapted the story, somehow missed the mark when it comes to keeping the viewers on the edge of their seats.

Consequently, due to these mistreatments, I, in turn, did not care much about the emotional drama or feel sorry about the characters cause there is no reason laid out that I should. Nevertheless, on the bright side, the movie, at least, had a few powerhouse performers who did not fail to impress with their performances.

Parineeti Chopra is in top form, shines bright in a challenging role, and carries the entire movie effortlessly. Kirti Kulhari, with her authoritative dialogue delivery and body language, fits her role as the cop perfectly. Aditi Rao Hydari, on the other hand, is decent and gave her best for what she’s offered in regards to her character.

Overall, the like and dislike factor of The Girl on the Train on Netflix India depends on what you expect. If you’re someone who wants to lay back, forget about the meltdown you had at the office discussing the ever-rising fuel prices, and want to watch a decent thriller, this should be the right pick. However, if you’re the complete opposite who takes the entire lore of “mystery thrillers” very seriously, then this 120-minute film will leave you disappointed and angry.

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A few moments and the excellent performances work in-favor of the film, but a substantial amount of it is still silly through and through. Also, why is this film set in London? Should’ve shot in Mumbai and saved some instead. Need any financial advice Anil bhai? Watch ‘The Girl on the Train’ on Netflix here.

Rating – 2.75/5 | Grade – C+

Images via Netflix India

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