"Mrs. Crane, I'm looking at you, you wore green so you could hide. I don't blame you, you're a tramp! Ooh! That was a good one ... you're a little monkey woman, do you know that?"
There's a certain amount of guilt in seeing movies that are spawned from popular literature, specifically when you haven't read the books. I don't like admitting to it — that sense of modern, young illiteracy — but I've never read Tolkien, Rowling, or Stieg Larsson's "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." That last one's been the biggest of late. Scandanavian thrillers especially, have been big of late. Must be the crippling depression and maudlin vibes that make these so appealing... But now I've seen the film of "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," and I must say, there are total perks to not reading the book before a movie.
Surounded by pseudo-literate Chicagoans, I was of the few able to get wrapped up in the mystery and intrigue of "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," not knowing where the hell the story (at least in the movie), was going. And I was thoroughly entertained the whole time. Like the best TV movie I've ever seen, "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is a salaciously satisfying mystery, with a great duo at the helm, and a truly captivating female lead character.
If you've read the book, great. If not, here's the deal. Mikael Blomkvist (call me out on spelling) is a disgraced journalist about to be sent to jail for libel. Swedish thing, really. But, out of the blue, Blomkvist is offered the chance to do some investigation into the ominous and wealthy Vanger family. An uncle in the family, wants Blomkvist to do research and offer some closure on the disappearance of his niece in the 1960s. Tandem to that story, we're introduced to Lisbeth Salander, the eponymous 20-something security investigator with a muddled past, outlandishly goth appearance and a quiet and intuitive sense of things.
Eventually, the two team up to delve deep into the Vanger family's dark past, unearthing Nazism, perversion, abuse and other fun familial problems along the way.
There are two great reasons to see this film.
One. Despite it's high-grade, but still television-quality production values, "Tattoo" has the benefit of a fascinating and at times, dare I say, tantalizing mystery. Like the best of Christie or "Law & Order" — with mad sexual/psychological overtones — "Tattoo" can consider itself perfectly plotted mystery. Like "Shutter Island" and "Ghost Writer" of recent, this is a kind of "Ten Little Indians" scenario where suspicion and paranoia for every party grows as the mystery becomes more intricate. But, unlike the other two, "Tattoo" is well practiced in classical intrigue — misdirection, unshowy and eery atmosphere, good casting — and despite its CSI-stlye montages, the movie never wastes a scene in making one interested. This becomes especially apparent at the two-and-a-half hour mark, when you're perfectly alright with everything that happens. "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is just a great standard, classical thriller, elevated by its unique content.
Two. Lisbeth Salander is a truly great, interesting character, deserving of more stories. Like a hardcore Miss Marple, or Mariska Hargitay, I'd love a series Lisbeth Salander series of mysteries. She's a complicated, charismatic and captivating woman perfectly played by Noomi Rapace (Swedish movies I've never heard of). What's that? There are more Lisbeth Salander books? Awesome.
So, I must insist you see this. But maybe, I dunno ... try it without reading the book? All I wish that their were more adult, well crafted flicks like this during a summer movie season, ya know? What's the logic in that? I want something sensational and satisfying, like "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo."
Oddest thing: this was the first male Goble family outing of recent that I can think of, and unlike the last one — our Scandanavian excursion — I didn't want to kill anyone. The film did the murdering for me.
No, there is nothing wrong with me.
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