The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Dir. David Fincher

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2011. The novel, published posthumously by author Steig Larson, ignited with American readers and has resulted in a trio of films in the author’s native Sweden. It was only a matter of time before the American film rolled into theaters. Questions flared up, however. Would the American version shy away from the brutal violence and explicit sex? The answer is, mostly no. The film is a movie for grown-ups and never placates to the audience.

At its heart, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a murder mystery. It’s one that is about on par with a really good episode of Law and Order: SVU. The hunt for a serial killer of women, though, is only a small portion of the pie. Another slice is Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), the shamed reporter of a tabloid magazine looking for vengeance and an opportunity to clear his name. Elsewhere, punk/sleuth Lisbeth Salander (Roony Mara) is trying to survive/kick ass despite the obstacles, um, obstacles placed by her sleazy guardian (Yorick van Wageningen). The two heroes, for lack of a better word, team up to untangle a mystery involving a dysfunctional family that includes incest, Nazis, and pretty much all things unsavory.

So we have all the pieces of the pie. Rooney Mara’s daring portrayal of Lisbeth Salander is the whipped cream that makes the dessert so delicious. The role of Lisbeth is one that caused quite a lot of input from fans. Many believed that Noomi Repace’s Lisbeth from the Swedish films was perfect; some even calling her to take on the role in the American films. Natalie Portman was an original frontrunner, whispy, beautiful, Natalie Portman. I must say that Mara’s Lisbeth is a nuanced, complicated, and thoroughly rich performance. Fierce and strong yet damaged, she commands the screen with her icy intensity. The supporting characters, including Craig’s Blomkvist, turn in strong performances as well, though in my mind I pictured Mikael as a little more doughy and everyday, not the James Bond-ian hero embodied by Craig.

David Fincher brings a dark, cold atmosphere perfectly set in the frigid Swedish landscape and proves most effective when the characters are trying to figure something out or in mortal danger. Some of the quieter, emotional moments feel a bit uneven amidst the dreary industrial feel of the film.

I liked Lisbeth and Mikael’s partnership although at one point, the tone of the relationships shifts and becomes sort of clumsy. The film rapidly loses steam after the tense climax and is punctuated with a mini Oceans 11-type caper that really seemed a bit silly.

In the end, though, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a deft, dark and well-crafted mystery supported by strong performances.
Grade: B+