A disgraced journalist and a disturbed computer
hacker work to solve a forty-year-old cold case murder. CRIME/DRAMA
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The Girl with the
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For the longest time now, I've known about this movie. I knew who was in it. I knew it was disturbing, that it was intense. After all, it's David Fincher. That's his bread and butter. But I had no idea what it was about. Nothing could've really prepared me for this one, short of reading the novel. But I don't have that kind of time, now do I? But I digress. If you're squeamish, you might want to skip this one. This film has one of the most disturbing rape scenes in film history, so much so that the actor who played the rapist was so psychologically disturbed by the filming of said scene that he locked himself away and cried his misery and self-hatred away for a while. Granted, it also has one of the most satisfying revenge scenes just a short while later. My point is, this is your one and only trigger warning if my opinion really means that much to you, dear reader.
Let me just get this out of the way. I'm a big fan of Daniel Craig, and with this film I learned he is apparently capable of doing two accents: His natural English and Kentucky fried detective. I say this because he is the only actor who does not even attempt a Swedish accent, despite the film being set in and around Stockholm. I'm not complaining. I just find it hilarious. Anyway, he plays recently disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist, who is hired by a reclusive, dying billionaire to solve the murder of his grandniece, which went cold forty years ago. Mikael enlists the help of brilliant but psychologically disturbed computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Mara, in a lights out performance). We spend some time with Lisbeth alone for the first half, getting to know her and what kind of person she is. Eventually, she joins up with Mikael and the two form a bizarre relationship and do end up solving the murder. I won't say what happens because it is genuinely shocking. I haven't seen the original Swedish film, nor have I read the book. So I can't judge the film's accuracy as an adaptation. All I can do is judge the film at hand as a singular entity, and it delivers on everything it promises. From the epically dark opening credits to the sadistic nature of nearly every character. This is an unforgettable crime drama that will stay with you. |