If you read my previous reviews or check out the films I've watched, you'll notice a pattern. I don't regularly watch a lot of serious films. Most of the media I consume is, admittedly, pure escapism. Action films, superhero movies, spy thrillers, stuff like that. I'm not generally interested in films that require a great deal of thought or emotional involvement. This isn't because I don't like them (when I do watch them) but rather because I like to use film as a relaxant. I like to laugh and clap my hands while watching something fantastic. If I had more access to stage magicians I'd be all about that as well.

All that said, this was a great change of pace for me. Fincher was in usual (great) form with his re-make of this Swedish thriller (is it a thriller? I'm not good with genre titles). There's not much I can say about this film without the overuse of the words "great", "mesmerising" and "just really, really great". The film is near three hours of intensely uncomfortable, profoundly saddening and extremely compelling story. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's score is unsurprisingly apt at conveying the awful tension throughout the film (I've been listening to the soundtrack and occasionally feel like I'm rewatching certain scenes). Everything about this film I found entirely affecting. It's not a film I want to watch again, at least not any time soon but it is one of those rare films that I feel like everyone should watch. Just not when you want to laugh and clap your hands.