if you are in the mood for a grown up movie skip the Ghost in the Protocol and give the Tattoo Lady named Lisbeth a chance

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2011)

In re-reading my other reviews at stusblogs, it occurs to me that I have very few words of praise for the movies I write about. I realize that the rule of "Nothing good to say, then keep your mouth shut" doesn't apply in politics or film critiques, but I'm not sure the opposite - "Nothing bad to say, then keep your mouth shut." - is true either. So in the interest of a more balanced approach, I offer this review of a movie I thoroughly enjoyed.
Full disclosure - I have not read the Stieg Larsson novels that serve as the foundation for this movie. I once tried to listen to one of his novels in a books on tape format and had to turn it off before I fell asleep and crashed into a tree. I am sure that curled up in front of the fire and diving into Larsson's slavish attention to minutia is a pleasant alternative to slogging around outside in the dead of a Swedish winter. But I'm a Robert Frost kind of guy with miles to go before I sleep and promises to keep. So unless you are candy for my consciousness and swift on your predicates, I really don't have time to indulge.
I went to the movie with my wife on a day off kid duty. The grandparents were pinch hitting so we were able to see an adult movie in a real theater for a change instead of renting one at the video store and waiting until the kids were in bed and we were too tired to watch and enjoy it. She had tried to read The Girl with the Dragoon Tattoo and got bogged down about a third of the way in. Her one hesitation when I suggested the Girl over the Ghost was her apprehension that the movie would mirror the book's plodding pace.
Not to fear. In spite of it's length - 140 minutes which is almost two movies in today's Hollywood - the movie holds your attention and keeps you waiting for the next twist as any good suspense should. I won't belabor the plot. If you're one of the brave ones who read the book, then you know the story. You can enjoy the editing and decide if the essential elements of the narrative were preserved in the film script. If you haven't read the book, then enjoy the mood and measure of a tale that probes the dark side of human nature in a way that few films dare to do anymore. Be prepared to glimpse the heart of darkness as much as a film can show and not cross the line into the grotesque and prurient.
And while you are swept up in the mystery and revulsion of serial murder and family violence, take time to celebrate the actors and their performances. Christopher Plummer will probably get a supporting actor Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the guilt ridden patriarch.
I have no doubt that Rooney Mara deserves an Oscar for her rendition of Lisbeth Salander, the tattooed lady who bears no resemblance to Groucho's Lydia. I suspect Streep will get the nod for her Margaret Thatcher interpretation since the Academy loves to pat itself on the back for bringing history to the screen. But my non-vote goes to Rooney who has made an incredible transition from professional football royalty to silver screen artist.
If you are passing out awards, I think you can skip Daniel Craig. I still fault him for reducing Bond to a one dimensional cut out caricature. Craig's range as an actor starts at A and ends at A. This approach doesn't work for Bond but it is perfect for Mikael Blomkvist, the disgraced, womanizing journalist who retreats into an historical Who Done It to find redemption and a way back to his soulless, philandering ways. Blomkvist really is the hero you love to hate.
Bottom line - if you are in the mood for a grown up movie that will leave you with something to talk about once you leave the theater, skip the Ghost in the Protocol and give the Tattoo Lady named Lisbeth a chance to entertain you.