This film is the American version of the Swedish films that were a worldwide phenomenon. It's set in Sweden and all the actors speak with a generalized accent that I suppose might be Swedish. I'm really not sure why they remade a good foreign film except to recast---and cash in. But let's talk about this as if those other films didn't matter.
This is a whodunit. A bleak, dark, and often disturbing whodunit. In point of fact it is three mysteries rolled into one, which is why this film feels like it has three endings. A journalist (Danial Craig) is hired to research a murder that happened long ago in a very rich and powerful Swedish family, all of whom have been living with this crime for decades and none of whom want to rehash the thing again. A lot of stonewalling ensues. Enter crack investigator/researcher Lisbeth (Rooney Mara), a darkly pierced and somewhat disturbed young woman who has her own issues with violence toward women. Together the intrepid duo track down a serial killer and begin to untangle the problems in their own lives.
The reason to see this film is for it's characterizations and uniqueness. The mystery genre has never seen a character like Lisbeth. And Rooney Mara plays her with fierceness and steel. She got a well-deserved Oscar nomination. But be warned-this film is disturbing to a high degree both in specific scenes and in general tone. If violence toward women disturbs you this might not be for you (even though the women often prevail and survive). I often felt, well, kind of unclean watching this film. This is a rough-textured genre piece, but Rooney Mara is often brilliant and the journey is ultimately worth the bumpy ride.
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