Rough stuff

Rating: 9/10 (3 May 2012)

Noomi Rapace is Lisbeth Salander, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," a 2009 Swedish film also starring Michael Nyqvist. The film is based on the first book of the Millennium trilogy by the late Stieg Larsson.
Nyqvist plays journalist Mikael Blomkvist, a reporter who broke a story about a well-known businessman, was sued for libel, and lost. He knows he was set up, and he has to wait six months for his sentencing. The executives on his newspaper suggest that he lay low for awhile. A paid assignment comes from a member of the powerful Vanger family, Henrik Vanger (Sven-Bertil Taube). Henrik is old and frail, and before he dies, he wants to see if Blomkvist can solve the disappearance of his niece forty years earlier. Blomkvist lives in the guest house of the Vanger mansion and gets to work.
Soon he realizes that he's not alone -- someone -- Lisbeth Salander -- is hacking into his computer and looking into the case as well - not because she has interest in it, but because she's investigating Blomqvist for the security company for which she works, Merrin Security Inc.
Lisbeth is a goth, on probation for a crime we don't learn much about initially. She has been given a new probation officer (called a guardian) who asks for sexual favors in order to grant her money from her account. Despite what she's going through, it doesn't take long for the reporter and the brilliant computer hacker to join forces. They can probably crack the case, but it doesn't seem likely that Blomqvist can ever crack Lisbeth's hard shell. She's a mysterious, pencil-thin, seemingly hard and unemotional woman who won't answer questions about herself.
This is an incredible film that despite its gorgeous cinematography, is very dark, filled with mystery, tension, sexual perversion, murder, monsters, and violence, not to mention a few twists to the story.
Totally absorbing. I have not seen the American version yet, which I understand is also excellent. The performances in this version are marvelous. Somehow Rapace manages to show that Lisa has some vulnerability, and one really roots for her and doesn't blame her for some of her more aggressive actions.
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" for me was a very raw, intense experience, so I'm not sure I'll see the American version. But I am looking forward to seeing the two subsequent Swedish films from the trilogy. Really excellent, and not recommended for those with a squeamish stomach.