Review of Gone Girl (2014) by Danny R — 01 Aug 2015

David Fincher's brilliant, hypnotically fascinating character study of modern love gone terribly wrong, which is based on the runaway best selling novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn. It begins on the day of the fifth anniversary of a young couple, Nick and Amy Dunne.

Nick, played tremendously by a superb Ben Affleck, who comes home to find the living room in disarray and his wife Amy, played by Rosemund Pike, in an amazing star-making performance, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, is missing.

The mystery ignites a media frenzy and suspicion falls on Nick. The police detectives on the case, well played by Kim Dickens and Patrick Fugit, are worrisome about Nick's abnormal reaction to his wife's disappearance.

He doesn't seem to know much about his wife, and he seems like he's hiding something. Even Nick's twin sister Margo, played terrifically by Carrie Coon, has her doubts that Nick is telling the full truth.

Amy's diary however paints a different portrait of her husband, a man prone to increasing anger, mostly stemming from the loss of his job, and a relocation from New York City to Missouri. Most of Nick's anger is focused squarely on Amy, enough that she fears for her life, and is looking to buy a gun.

As various clues keep piling up and Nick's public behavior appears more and more suspicious, the media spotlight transforms him from victim to prime suspect. It soon becomes clear that not everything is as it seems, and it's probably safe to say that the story's controversial resolution will shock a large portion of the audience, and anger the rest.

It is a magnificent thriller, thanks to David Fincher's meticulous direction, and the exceptional supporting performances by Neil Patrick Harris, David Clennon, Lisa Barnes, Missi Pyle, Emily Ratajowski, Sela Ward, Loia Kirke, with special kudos to Tyler Perry, for his wonderfully impressive turn as the defense lawyer Tanner Bolt.

Jeff Cronenweth's cinematography is striking, and the score by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross is sensational. One of the year's best and most entertaining films, a total triumphant. Highly Recommended.