Knowing “Gone Girl” was directed by David Fincher, who also directed “Fight Club,” “Panic Room,” “Seven” and “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” I had high expectations for an excellent, engaging thriller. I was not disappointed.
Based off a 2012 novel of the same name, this movie stars Ben Affleck as Nick Dunne, whose wife, Amy (played by Rosamund Pike), goes missing resulting in a search to find her. The story begins simply enough, setting up Ben Affleck as a husband in a seemingly perfect life, with a seemingly perfect house. But as the movie progresses, we see flashbacks to the days before Amy’s disappearance, revealing that their marriage was not as perfect as it first seemed. That’s something very interesting about this movie.
While it is a very tense thriller, it also examines marriage, what it really means to have the commitment to be parents and how serious those wedding vows should be taken. Nick and Amy both have their faults, but it’s hard to decide who to feel bad for, or who to hate, as plot twists unveil the kind of people who Nick and Amy really are. The movie always keeps you guessing: where did Amy go? What will I find out next about the couple? Who is the real bad guy?
Affleck and Pike do a great job as the central couple, even as events in the movie change how the audience views their characters. Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry add their talents to the drama as an ex-boyfriend and a lawyer, respectively. These actors usually known for comedies did a wonderful job in these serious roles, Harris especially.
Speaking of humor, there is a lot of dark, ironic humor sprinkled throughout, which adds a nice dash of flavor to the experience of the movie.
From the opening of the movie, something felt off. There is a persisting sense of uneasiness throughout this movie. Thinking back on it now, it occurs to me that the soundtrack played a big part in maintaining this mood. Orchestrated by Trent Rezner and Atticus Ross, it was a myriad of marimba, strings and synthesizer that has a very dreamlike sound to it, but at the same time, it’s so eerie that it lays an ominous feeling around the whole movie.
“Gone Girl” is definitely not a romance flick about a sorrowful husband on the impassioned search for his wife. This does not make for a cute date night movie. It reminded me a lot of last year’s “Prisoners,” with Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal. If you have enjoyed David Fincher’s other works, this will not let you down. The directing is superb, with the adaptation of the novel written by author, Gillian Flynn. The writing is carefully crafted, having big reveals at just the right moments, so that the movie is never boring.
