The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - HOM and Dan Tepe

HOM: You suggested that we all go see this movie? Why did you suggest it? Why not suggest Hugo or Young Adult or My Week With Marilyn?

DT: As someone who isn't the most updated on new movies and what is out in theaters, I heard a lot of rumblings about The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo from friends and family. The first time someone mentioned it, I had never heard of it, but everyone was talking about it. The consensus I heard was that people approved, but even if someone disliked it, they were talking about it. I just wanted to see what all the buzz was about. While other movies might have been a good selection as well, I'm a fan of suspenseful, make you think, murder mysteries. This one fit the bill.

HOM: So what did you think overall? Did the movie meet expectations? I really liked it. This was the second time I saw it. Would you see it again?

DT: Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. Most of the movies I'll see in theater are safe picks (Batman, Bournes, Sherlock etc); you know what you're going to get. However, I went in to this one not really sure what I would be experiencing. I felt this was going to be one of those movies that a person really enjoys or leaves with a feeling of pure disdain. I'm glad I came out feeling the former. Having not read the book, I can't compare to it although I generally think books are better because it leaves more to the imagination. The snowy Sweden setting made it a little darker and colder which I enjoyed.

HOM: Let's talk about the few scenes that were not so much fun to watch. David Fincher directed this book-to-screen movie. He got a decent amount of attention when he made the movie Se7en. That movie was freaking nuts the first time I saw it. I think he is really good at pushing the viewer to the max. But the reason I think he is better than horror movie directors is that for some reason, his freakish characters are not impossible to relate to. Saw is ridiculous cause the protagonist is ridiculous (this is not to deny that the first Saw movie was gripping). Before we went to see this movie the rape scenes had been hashed out extensively. How do you think these scenes fit into the movie? I have not read the book trilogy. I have read depictions of rape scenes in books, though. Is it worse to watch a rape scene? Was the graphic nature of the scene necessary for the movie to work? What were your general thoughts on the whole ordeal?

DT: I don't know much about the director. In fact, I don't know much about any director. However, just hearing that he directed Se7en is all I need to hear. That movie created a lot of buzz and shock, but it was critical to the plot. Like you, I haven't read the books, so I don't know how those scenes and information will help develop the plot in the other two movies to come. I will say that, while the rape scenes are extremely disturbing, they do help illuminate just how crappy Lisbeth's day-to-day life can be. If that was the director's hope, it worked. Because by the end of the movie, I felt completely different about her. Like she had some light and hope in her life from meeting Mikael. Did the scenes need to be that graphic? Maybe not. But you learn a lot about the type of person she is from those scenes. She has issues, but she's a fighter.

HOM: Rooney Mara, keeper of two really wealthy family names, shows up in a huge way for this movie? I thought her stoic portrayal of a girl with a dragon tattoo, and all the insanity such a tattoo implies, was excellent and surprising. Fincher used her in a minor role in The Social Network and must have seen something that other casting folks hadn't seen, in my estimation. What did you think of her? Where in the movie was she at her best?

DT: The woman who played Lisbeth seemed to be a perfect fit. Apparently, she had all of those piercings done for this role. If that's true, it says a lot about her commitment to the character. I found her extremely intriguing, and it seemed like all of the scenes she was in raised me to a new level of curiosity...of learning more about her character. I believe she was at her best while investigating the death of the young girl. In the beginning of the movie, you learn about her background, but you see a completely different side of her when she's solving the puzzle...something you wouldn't expect.

HOM: Do you have any thoughts on movies wherein the characters are Swedish and the actors are British or American? Is anything lost when the movie takes place in Stockholm and is watched in Newport, Kentucky without subtitles?

DT: No

HOM: What are your expectations for the next two installments of the trilogy? High? Low? Are you anxious that they will be a let down? Or did this one not yet peak so as to leave some space for cooler stuff in the future?

DT: My expectations for the next two are very high. This one left me wanting more, but I don't know why. I say that because this movie went from a murder mystery to a semi-romance. Am I anxious to see the next one because I want to see whether the two main characters end up together or because I want to see them investigate another murder? I'm not a romance guy, but throw in some suspense before/during the romance, I'll accept that. I do look forward to seeing where this goes though and will definitely see the next installment.

HOM: Lastly, which famous celebrity (actor or non-actor) should have been part of the cast in this movie? Who would have made it better? And, do you have any final words on The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo? Anything we need to know about it?

DT: It's difficult to watch a movie you enjoy and try to come up with someone who should have played a particular role. Sarcastically, Lindsay Lohan as Lisbeth and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mikael. Just think about that screenplay and rapport those two would build with one another. I thought Daniel Craig and Mara were pretty good fits. I believe Tom Hardy, who was in Inception, could play the role as well, if not better, than Craig.

I recommend the movie for anyone without sensitive eyes. The rape scene is disturbing and could potentially ruin the rest of the movie for someone. I felt it dragged a little bit in the last fifth, but not too much where it gets annoying. Go see it if you haven't already and like movies that piece together at its proper pace.