BEFORE: There was an actor in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" who also turned up in tonight's film, but I missed it - I admit it. So I have to link another way - Gillian Anderson from "Johnny English Reborn" was also in "How to Lose Friends & Alienate People" with Daniel Craig (last seen in "Elizabeth").
I know this is technically not a spy film, but I believe it's filled with international intrigue - the main characters are a journalist and a hacker, but my reason for including it here will be very apparent as of tomorrow. Geez, it's based on one of the most popular books in recent history, and I know almost nothing about it.
I'm going with the English version of this film, I'm aware there were Swedish versions made of all three books in this series, which are running this week on the Sundance Channel, but the running times is even longer, plus I think it's in Swedish, so I'm secure in my choice. Plus I banned the Sundance Channel from my rotation for running commercials - ain't nobody got time for that.
THE PLOT: In his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years, journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker.
AFTER: Again, these are thoughts coming from someone who never read the popular books - and my first thought is "Damn, I was going to write a screenplay with a pierced, bisexual computer programmer who rides a motorcycle!" (Seriously, I was.) Maybe I still can, but now people are going to think I stole from this film.
Seriously, Lisbeth seems like one of the all-time great characters, incredibly well-rounded in her skill set (almost TOO well-rounded), she's brilliant, intense, manipulative, and quite messed up. Good with weapons, vehicles, computers, disguises - I'm thinking of her as the female Jack Reacher, only without the military experience. And everyone else is either hot for her, or afraid of her. Or both.
I feel secure in placing this film here in the line-up because it is sort of a callback to the serial killer chain. The leads are not sure they're after a killer, but it seems like a safe bet. They are asked to sift through the history of one really messed-up Swedish family, searching for clues to a woman's disappearance.
Pacing feels slow, but it's really not. A lot happens in the course of two and a half hours, so why does it always feel as if the case is inching forward? I think I see what all the fuss is about, it's a tense thriller with more than a few surprises.
Also starring Rooney Mara (last seen in "Youth in Revolt"), Christopher Plummer (last seen in "Nicholas Nickleby"), Robin Wright (last seen in "Moneyball"), Stellan Skarsgard (last seen in "The Avengers"), Joely Richardson (last seen in "Anonymous"), Goran Visnic.
RATING: 7 out of 10 piercings
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