Gone Girl Review

Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Carrie Coon, Tyler Perry, Kim Dickens

The year's first "true awards contender" has arrived in the form of Gone Girl directed by David Fincher. Those who know Fincher from his previous works, of which include Se7en, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Zodiac, and Fight Club, know he can delve into dark territory. And fans of Gillian Flynn's bestselling novel know how dark the material truly is. Flynn writes the screenplay, so every twist and turn from the book is in the movie. I'm surprised at how well the ad campaign has hidden the twist. Gone Girl centers on the marriage of Nick (Affleck) and Amy (Pike) Dunne. Amy disappears and all the evidence found points to Nick murdering her, and the media instantly turns against him. Told from Nick's perspective in the present as he retains his innocence, and Amy's perspective through diary entries and voiceover from the past, the secrets and lies they have told throughout their union are revealed.

Every single thing about this movie is pieced together incredibly well. From Rosamund Pike's voiceover, to Fincher's directing, to the fantastic score, everything fits together seamlessly. The real star though, is Flynn's sharp script. As a fan of the book, I can identify that she did disregard certain aspects of the book, but the trivial things she leaves out or changes only build the intensity, and make for a shorter runtime (the movie is almost 3 hours). The cast is incredible in their roles. There is actually only so much I can say without revealing the twist, because this has to be a spoiler-free review. Ben Affleck is great as Nick. Cold and calculated, you're never really sure with him. You want to believe he didn't kill her, but with his lies and the amount of evidence produced, you can't help but second-guess yourself. Carrie Coon plays his twin sister, and she is great as well. Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris play small but key supporting roles, and both are fantastic. Kim Dickens plays the detective investigating Amy's suspected murder, and the scenes that she has with Affleck are incredible to watch. The real revelation of the cast is Rosamund Pike. As Amy, she is spectacular in every sense of the word, and to watch her and listen to her voice narrate her marriage, is never anything but interesting, as well as intense. She's absent for a lot of the movie (at least in present time) but her presence is felt through the entire movie. Amy is in control of Gone Girl and that's how she would've liked it.

The one thing you learn from Nick and Amy, is how not to act in a relationship. The two destroy each other in various ways, and basically ruin each others' lives when they're together. It gets to a point where their marriage is so bad, that people can actually suspect that Nick killed her, and have evidence to support it. But Amy isn't without fault. She drives him to the point of no return, and instead of nurturing his wounds, she encourages them. Both of them constantly manipulate and play with each other, and seeing what they are capable of doing is shocking and a little unnerving. This is a relationship pushed to the extreme. At one point, Nick asks Amy why they do what they do, and why should they keep it up? Amy replies "Because that's marriage." The way the twist is handled is excellent. People who haven't read the book will be totally taken by surprise, and it definitely changes everything in the movie. The final 2/3 feel like an entirely different film, with an entirely different set of actors.

The way the media swarms around Nick and places Amy on a pedestal is another point the movie criticizes. In far too many real-life situations, one side is the only one that's heard. That's the side the media presents. In Gone Girl, there are three sides to the story: His, Hers, and the Truth. Nick's side of the story is the regular guy, with an unhappy marriage to a real piece-of-work for a wife. Amy's side is the oppressed wife under the thumb of her controlling husband. The media spins this into: Nick was controlling, Amy was truly terrified, and he killed her. It's disturbing how this movie will make you question how much of the news you see is actually the truth, and not whatever sells. Speaking of selling, this movie is doing fabulously at the box-office, and my theater was packed. As for awards, I think it's a safe bet for a Best Picture nod, and Rosamund Pike is a lock for Best Actress. I wouldn't be surprised at other nominations too because everything succeeds, from the performances, to the music, to Rosamund Pike's costumes, and the camera angles. Is it the best movie of the year? I'm not sure, but it is one spectacular and thrilling ride.

Rating: 5/5 stars