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The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Play trailer 3:42 Poster for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo R 2011 2h 38m Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 255 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Disgraced financial reporter Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) finds a chance to redeem his honor after being hired by wealthy Swedish industrialist Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to solve the 40-year-old murder of Vanger's niece, Harriet. Vanger believes that Harriet was killed by a member of his own family. Eventually joining Blomkvist on his dangerous quest for the truth is Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), an unusual but ingenious investigator whose fragile trust is not easily won.
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The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

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Critics Consensus

Brutal yet captivating, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is the result of David Fincher working at his lurid best with total role commitment from star Rooney Mara.

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Critics Reviews

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Julie and Brandy Autostraddle 08/31/2021
Go see the Swedish version. Go to Full Review
Carolyn Yates Autostraddle 06/11/2021
The result is more cohesive, and of course longer, though dedicated fans will be annoyed by departures from the books for the sake of brevity. Go to Full Review
Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online 09/08/2017
B+
overall the movie does take allegiances with both the book and original movie, but it comes into its own to unravel a truly alluring story. Go to Full Review
Don Shanahan Every Movie Has a Lesson 10/14/2024
4/5
You won't like everything you see, but you will be impressed. Go to Full Review
Lauren LaMagna Next Best Picture 07/18/2023
9/10
It is a beautiful example of what happens when a director finds source material that directly influences their topics of interest. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 03/01/2023
3.5/4
Fincher’s sophisticated treatment imbues this tale of corruption, sexual assault, and trauma with a textured hand; and in addition to surpassing the Swedish versions, he gives the story new life. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Jack F @MovieFan111 Nov 19 It was long, and a little confusing, but it was good. I haven't seen the foreign one. See more Frans B @FransB Nov 11 David Fincher did good here. Stellar cast all excels in character. Intelligently written, fast moving and complex plot. Great cinematography, the intro is a work of art in itself. Lots of action, intrigue, twists, drama and suspense. Very engaging and entertaining. Amazing soundtrack as well ... See more Kyle C @kylekc Oct 20 David Fincher’s adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s novel is a slick, atmospheric thriller that doesn’t quite stick the landing. The film follows disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) as he investigates the decades-old disappearance of Harriet Vanger, aided by the enigmatic hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). While the film boasts a strong cast and Fincher’s signature style, it struggles with pacing and tonal inconsistencies. The opening credits, featuring a haunting Led Zeppelin cover, set a moody tone that the film maintains throughout. However, the pacing falters early on, with quick cuts and a convoluted plot that make it difficult to engage with the story. The isolation of the Swedish setting adds atmosphere, but the film often feels like it’s trying to juggle too many plotlines and genres—detective story, revenge thriller, and psychological drama—without fully committing to any. At times it hardly seems to be about the titular girl or her unexplored tattoo at all. Rooney Mara delivers a standout performance as Lisbeth, capturing the character's complexity and vulnerability. Daniel Craig, though solid, is overshadowed by Mara’s intensity. The film's depiction of Lisbeth's backstory is compelling, but the relationship dynamics, particularly between her and Blomkvist, feel underdeveloped and occasionally forced. While the film's cinematography and direction are top-notch, the overuse of product placement and occasional tonal shifts detract from the overall experience. The ending, though satisfying in its resolution, lacks the emotional punch needed to make the journey worthwhile. In conclusion, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is a well-crafted thriller that offers moments of intrigue and strong performances but ultimately falls short of its potential due to pacing issues and tonal inconsistencies. It’s a film that will appeal to fans of Fincher’s work, but left me wanting more. See more G R Sep 23 I held off watching this because I thought it would be overrated. I was wrong. See more Nashville I. @Nshvlleindie Jul 17 Mismanaged with a Christmas Day release, this was a world class movie all around. Not just a great thriller/mystery…a very stylish, alluring, and smart flick that manages to make you feel the cold on screen. The movie does a nice job making you care about the inner demons of its leads without overdoing it, while still neatly keeping all pieces of the mystery organized. See more Aramis L. @Eccothedolphin Jul 2 Surprised how accurate it was to the book See more Read all reviews
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

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The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - I'd Like to Make a Deposit The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - I'd Like to Make a Deposit 1:28 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - I Just Want My Money The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - I Just Want My Money 1:32 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - I Wanna Show You Something The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - I Wanna Show You Something 1:36 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - I Tried to Kill My Father The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - I Tried to Kill My Father 1:06 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - Satisfying My Urges The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - Satisfying My Urges 2:01 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - The Crash The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - The Crash 1:53 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - May I Kill Him? The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - May I Kill Him? 2:30 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - Shots and Stitches The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - Shots and Stitches 2:11 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - Help Me Catch a Killer The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - Help Me Catch a Killer 1:36 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - Unmet Expectations The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Official Clip - Unmet Expectations 1:46 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Disgraced financial reporter Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) finds a chance to redeem his honor after being hired by wealthy Swedish industrialist Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to solve the 40-year-old murder of Vanger's niece, Harriet. Vanger believes that Harriet was killed by a member of his own family. Eventually joining Blomkvist on his dangerous quest for the truth is Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), an unusual but ingenious investigator whose fragile trust is not easily won.
Director
David Fincher
Producer
Scott Rudin, Ole Søndberg, Søren Stærmose, Ceán Chaffin
Distributor
Sony Pictures
Production Co
Scott Rudin Productions, Yellow Bird
Rating
R (Graphic Nudity|Brutal Violent Content|Torture|Language|Rape|Strong Sexuality)
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 20, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 3, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$102.5M
Runtime
2h 38m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby Digital
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