The Girl on the Train

Inspired by an actual incident involving anti-Semitism and sensationally self-destructive behavior that caused a scandal in France, André Téchiné's film—adapted from a play by Jean-Marie Besset—focuses on Jeanne (Émilie Dequenne), who lives with her single mother, Louise (Catherine Deneuve). When she isn't pretending to be looking for work, Jeanne rollerblades through town, making new friends, such as Franck (Nicolas Duvauchelle), a college wrestler who sweeps her off her feet. With her mother's encouragement, Jeanne applies for a job at a law firm where one of the attorneys, Samuel Bleistein (Michel Blanc), is a friend from Louise's past (Bleistein's daughter-in-law, divorced from his son, helps run the company, with the dynamics of the Bleistein family forming a parallel plot). Unfortunately, Jeanne's interview doesn't go well; she lacks any special skills and she tells lies to boot. Jeanne turns to Franck for help, but when that fails, she decides to use her talent for fabrication in a spectacular way. Knowing that anti-Semitic attacks are on the rise nationwide, she falsely claims to be the latest victim (even inflicting superficial wounds upon herself). Although the media believe her, Louise, Bleistein, and his 13-year-old grandson, Nathan (Jérémie Quaegebeur), have their doubts. An interesting examination of the pathology of lying, this latest film from a French grandmaster is recommended. (K. Fennessy)