Sanjoy Ray
Director: Ribhu Dasgupta
Cast: Parineeti Chopra, Aditi Rao Hydari, Kirti Kulhari, Avinash Tiwary, etc.
Parineeti Chopra-starrer The Girl on the Train was meant to be a psychological thriller, which it could never become! With a plot that never piques your curiosity or even comes close to giving you an adrenaline rush, the movie is a disappointment, to say the least.
Barely a few minutes into the run of play and you could literally predict the fate of the story. The storyline, based on British author Paul Hawkins’ bestseller with the same title, is marred by predictable sequences and clichés. Rare are the moments where the audience could possibly find themselves engaged and relate to the turn of events. Elements like fear, nervous energy and suspense are completely missing in this whodunit, thereby, making it a tedious watch.
Chopra’s flat expressions and over-the-top dialogue delivery only adds to the ordeal as she looks completely out of place. There is nothing to write home about any other actor in the line-up either.
As the movie progresses, you would desperately look for the last-minute surprise to happen, but it was not to be. In fact, while trying to add too many twists and turns to the script, the movie loses its sheen and gets directionless. The turn of events leading to Mira Kapoor (Chopra), a London-based lawyer indulging in self-flagellation, is not very convincing and leaves many questions unanswered.
There is clearly less focus on the script and the screenplay on the part of the director, Ribhu Dasgupta, who came up with certain scenes which have no reference to the context.
The protagonist’s mental state, too, is not explained beyond doubt and the director’s approach lacks clarity. To be precise, the movie is found wanting on too many fronts.
Currently streaming on Netflix, The Girl on the Train is here to test your patience for sure!
