The lady vanishes

Rating: 8/10 (11 October 2014)

The main plot twist, which could only be a surprise to those who haven't read the book, is very predictable, but some of the later twists are neatly executed, although often credulity-stretching. The ending is nicely unpredictable and brings a pleasing sense of Just Desserts.
Ben Affleck makes a good fist of Mr Nice-Guy who may not be such a nice guy, but the movie belongs to Ms Pike. Her threatened wife is definitely not from the school of Doris Day in MIDNIGHT LACE; the echoes are rather more of Glenn Close in FATAL ATTRACTION or JAGGED EDGE, two movies to which this film owes a hefty debt.
The sex-and-violence quotient is fairly high, but I'm surprised the film didn't sneak below its 18 rating. Leavened with some humour, particularly targeting the media vultures who descend on the family house in outlandish numbers, this is at heart just a spiced-up version of the earlier screen melodramas (THE LADY VANISHES!!) which must have inspired the author. Hokum, quality hokum even, well scripted and stylishly directed, but not quite as "classy" as WHAT LIES BENEATH, another of the movies that I found myself remembering while I sat through this.