The cold atmosphere and the contrast between its two investigators give this mystery its strength. Rooney Mara brings more interest than the film’s harsher material sometimes allows.
Spoiler-free review.
Rooney Mara gives The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a guarded presence that is more interesting than easy mystery-film eccentricity. Lisbeth’s attention and refusal to make people comfortable matter as much as her skills. Mara makes the distance feel protective. The performance keeps the character from being reduced to a useful source of answers.
Daniel Craig offers a good contrast. His more traditional way of asking questions lets their different styles of working stand out. The film feels better whenever the investigation becomes a back-and-forth between their methods and personalities. It’s easier to care about the clues when the way they’re uncovered tells us something about the people involved.
David Fincher gives the story a coldness that suits its strained relationships and buried grievances. The direction keeps a complicated investigation reasonably legible without making it feel welcoming. Conversations are often less about what somebody knows than what they are prepared to admit. That guardedness is a strong source of tension.
Some of the heavier parts can feel forced into the foreground, and certain details slow things down. I liked the careful investigation and the uneasy teamwork more than the more shocking parts. The direction is well-controlled, and Mara’s performance has enough character to make those concerns feel less important.
2011 · English. Film details · Film details · Poster source · Artwork © its respective rights holders.
The cold atmosphere and the contrast between its two investigators give this mystery its strength. Rooney Mara brings more interest than the film’s harsher material sometimes allows.
— Desly