GONE GIRL MOVIE REVIEW

“What are you thinking? How are you feeling? What have we done to each other?” is the voice of Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) in the opening scene with visuals as a woman lying on a pillow. At the first glance one may feel that it's a romantic scene that's coming up, but no, the story unveils a troubled marriage, and its unpromising situations.

 

Known for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Fight Club and Seven, director David Fincher is no alien to dark thrillers. Gone girl is another edgy investigative film focusing on the repercussions of an unsuccessful marital relationship. 

 

The film starts with Nick Dunne complaining about his missing wife Amy Elliott Dunne (Rosamund Pike) to the cops. The missing wife holds the mystery element of the intriguing adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s best seller with the same title. The narrative is set as two separate, yet interwoven strands of Nick and Amy's versions of stories of their marriage.

 

Further, there are many other characters who lend to the narrative. Margo (Carrie Coon) as Nick’s sister, Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry) as Nick’s advocate and Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) as one of the detectives were very convincing in their roles. But, it needs to be said that some characters like Desi Collings (Neil Patrick Harris) as Amy’s ex boy friend and the on-screen television personalities could have possessed stronger background and delivered better. 

 

David Fincher has also touched upon some subdued social issues like unemployment, class differentiation and media manipulation keeping the plot strong.

 

The background score of the movie was notable and has been instrumental in providing the typical David Fincher feel. The cinematographer of the movie, Jeff Cronenweth has a good eye for aesthetics and mise-en-scene. Kirk Baxter, editor, deserves a special appreciation for showcasing the movie back and forth with flashbacks and reality sequences in a clean conventional way.

 

The film not once leaves the viewer bored or unnoticeable; the screenplay was quick shuffling between many characters with a single story. Rosamund Pike shoulders the script by giving her best performance after Pride & Prejudice and Made in Dagenham. The bold and convicted role of Amy may remind us of the fantasy women, Catherine Tramell (Sharon Stone) of Basic Instinct and Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) of Fatal Attraction.

 

Strong investigative mystery, single story, parallel narrative, surrealistic visuals, symbolic elements, heavy characterizations, media exploitation and unsorted knots sums up Gone Girl. The viewer may be left thinking that there is a psychotic ending or worse, might even lose interest in marriage and women, but despite all that, Gone Girl is a movie that warrants multiple viewings.