Gone Girl Review

Rated R (A Scene of Bloody Violence, Some Strong Sexual Content/Nudity, and Language)

Running Time: 2 Hours & 29 Minutes

Cast-

Ben Affleck-Nick Dunne

Rosamund Pike-Amy Elliott-Dunne

Carrie Coon-Margo Dunne

Kim Dickens-Detective Rhonda Boney

Patrick Fugit-Officer Jim Gilpin

Tyler Perry-Tanner Bolt

Neil Patrick Harris-Desi Collings

Lisa Banes-Marybeth Elliott

David Clennon-Rand Elliott

Casey Wilson-Noelle Hawthorne

Emily Ratajkowski-Andie Hardy

Lola Kirke-Greta

Boyd Holbrook-Jeff

Missi Pyle-Ellen Abbott

Sela Ward-Sharon Schieber

Scoot McNairy-Tommy O'Hara

Leonard Kelly-Young-Bill Dunne

Cyd Strittmatter-Maureen Dunne

Directed by David Fincher

Smile for the camera!

Note: Screened on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at AMC Loews 34th Street 14. There are no outright spoilers in this review but I do vaguely reference certain plot elements.

David Fincher's latest film "Gone Girl" opens with a view of the back of Amy Dunne's head resting peacefully on the stomach of her husband, Nick Dunne, while he slowly strokes her blond hair. We hear Nick's thoughts out loud: 'When I think of my wife, I always think of her head.' It seems like he's about to think of something romantic but his next thought takes a sharp, disturbing turn: 'I picture cracking [open] her lovely skull, unspooling her brain, [and] trying to get answers.' He continues, 'The primal questions of a marriage: What are you thinking? How are you feeling?' Amy turns around to look up at her husband—her eyes trained directly at the camera. Nick's final thought before the scene fades to black: 'What have we done to each other?' When it comes to Hollywood directors, David Fincher is in an entirely different league. The man is notorious for shooting crazy amounts of takes but the consistently high quality of his work speaks for itself. Fincher can take the most mundane scene—that of two people simply talking—and turn it into something dramatically riveting and visually distinct. He's never made a bad film either. People may rag on the production-troubled "Alien 3" but I believe it's an underrated gem. Based on the best-selling 2012 novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn, who wrote the screenplay as well, "Gone Girl" is one of the best films of the year—a stylishly directed, darkly comic, and fascinating examination of gender roles and the falsity of romance and marriage.

July 5th, 2012: the day after Independence Day and the morning of Nick and Amy Dunne's (Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike) fifth wedding anniversary. Following a visit to a local bar, which he co-owns with his twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon), former Manhattan writer-turned-Missouri college professor Nick Dunne returns to his suburban North Carthage home to find his wife missing, with his living room bearing signs of a recent struggle. Concerned, he immediately calls the police. Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) and her partner, Officer Jim Gilpin (Patrick Fugit), arrive to inspect Nick's home. Finding a small trace of blood spatter on the kitchen cabinets, what initially seems like a simple missing-persons case quickly turns into a full-blown criminal investigation. When word gets out that Amy—who was the inspiration for her parents' best-selling Amazing Amy children's book series—has vanished, the media descend upon the town like a hungry swarm, their cameras constantly aimed at Nick while reporters poke and prod his life and behavior, all for a sensationalistic headline. With questions of infidelity and a troubled marriage surfacing, Nick is forced to hire hotshot New York City attorney Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry) to help clear up his public image. However, one question still remains: did Nick Dunne kill his wife?

Ben Affleck's Nick Dunne finds himself under close scrutiny in the wake of his wife's disappearance.

"Gone Girl" is a whopping two hours and twenty-nine minutes long but because Fincher's film is such an absorbing experience from the very first frame, the lengthy running time just flies by. You won't find an ounce of fat here thanks to Kirk Baxter's pitch-perfect editing. The first act plays out like a classic 'whodunnit' as Detective Boney and her partner comb through Nick's house for any clues that might shed light on his wife's disappearance. Nick is obviously concerned. He calls the police immediately and fully cooperates with them but his behavior is a bit…off. When asked about Amy's blood type and whether she had any friends, his answer is the same: I don't know. In fact, Nick seems rather indifferent and nonchalant about the whole thing. He doesn't even alert Amy's parents of their daughter's disappearance until Boney tells him to. Worse, the guy smiles while standing next to a missing person poster of his wife during a press conference. As the police and the town's citizens search for 'Amazing Amy,' flashbacks—narrated by Amy via voiceover—reveal her first meeting with Nick in New York City and how he proposed to her. However, their marriage did not produce the 'happily ever after' ending they were expecting. Something happened to them and just when we think we've figured it all out, Fincher and Flynn throw a huge curveball that turns the film into an entirely different beast altogether.

From the ravenous media to the damaging effects of the economic recession, "Gone Girl" casts a wide net with its targets but what the film is really about is the falsity of marriage. At one point, Nick lashes out at his wife and says 'All we did was resent each other and cause each other pain.' Amy chillingly retorts, 'That's marriage.' Rather than love and companionship, the story positions marriage—and romantic relationships in general—as being built on lies and hidden agendas. In a way, this is true. When men and women court each other, they pretend to be something they're not. Even I've done this before. You may view it as being your 'best self' but it's exhausting and unsustainable. Sooner or later, the mask will slip off. It's pretty much inevitable. Given what happens in the film, many have accused it of being misogynistic while others have praised it for being feminist. The truth is, both viewpoints are correct and it's what makes "Gone Girl" so fascinating to watch. There's a scene where Amy goes on a long rant and reveals her extreme disdain for what she dubs the 'Cool Girl.' Simply put, the 'Cool Girl' is a type of girl who pretends to like what men like in order to attract attention—and she's always hot. In the character's own words, she's someone who 'never [gets] angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want.' It comes off like the ravings of a mad lunatic and it's easy to mistake the film for siding with Nick but he's just as complicit in enabling the stereotype of a 'Cool Girl' by embodying it's equivalent, the 'Charming Guy.' Yes, he's not 'evil' like Amy. However, his male privilege, his inattentiveness, his violent outbursts, and his infidelity make Nick just as unsympathetic.  

One of the most interesting aspects of Fincher's film is the way the media intermingles with gender politics. Led by the Nancy Grace-like Ellen Abbott (played by a scene-stealing Missi Pyle), the cable television host whips the public into a frenzy and practically accuses Nick of murdering his wife without any solid evidence, solely because he is a man. If the same circumstances happened in real life, the husband is almost always a suspect, if not the prime one. However, what if he didn't do it? What if Amy isn't truly the victim here? That's the brilliance of "Gone Girl," the story twists and subverts our expectations, not just with thriller tropes but in the way men and women are depicted in fiction. Male characters are often rich and complex. The same cannot always be said for female characters. Flynn mentions on her website that 'the one thing that really frustrates [her] is this idea that women are innately good, innately nurturing.' Of course, you can't go too far to the other extreme either, or else she's a 'dismissible person.' The fact that Fincher and Flynn dared to bring to life a monstrous woman that rebels against what society expects of her due to her gender is what makes the film feminist. Her actions are without a doubt despicable but we understand her motivations.

"What are you thinking?"

Given its dialogue-driven nature, "Gone Girl" could've easily been a cinematic disaster without the right cast. Fortunately, that's not the case here. Ben Affleck is a great director, 2012's "Argo" proved that, but he's never been the most…expressive actor. In fact, he's often criticized for giving 'wooden' performances. That is actually to Affleck's advantage here since the character of Nick Dunne comes under suspicion due to his aloof behavior on-camera. It's a very 'meta' way of casting a role and is a stroke of genius on Fincher's part. The real revelation is Rosamund Pike, who delivers a career-best performance as Nick's wife Amy. Even when the actress is not on-screen, you feel her presence. The character is a monster of a woman but what makes her so compelling to watch is the way she contorts society's expectations of her to write her own narrative. She essentially becomes the 'Amazing Amy' her parents immortalized in their children's books. Carrie Coon is fantastic as well as Nick's twin sister Margo. She's the only character that can be called 'good' thanks to her levelheadedness. Tyler Perry surprisingly shines as hotshot New York City attorney Tanner Bolt, relishing in the role and delivering some wildly unexpected laughs. As Amy's former flame Desi Collings, Neil Patrick Harris turns up the creep factor to eleven while Kim Dickens' Detective Rhonda Boney makes for a great audience surrogate, asking all the right questions and playing devil's advocate. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Jeff Cronenweth's exquisitely sharp cinematography. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross craft another mesmerizingly unnerving and uncomfortable score that perfectly captures the moody grey area that Fincher's film inhabits.

Released on October 3, 2014, "Gone Girl" has received fantastic reviews with 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that it played to 'director David Fincher's sick strengths while bringing the best out of stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike,' resulting in a film that was 'dark, intelligent, and stylish to a fault.' The bigger question now is whether it has a chance in picking up some golden statues at next year's Academy Awards. The film will most likely get a few nominations and win in some technical categories but no, I don't see this winning Best Picture. The Academy tends to lean toward 'feel-good' pictures and "Gone Girl" leaves its audience, particularly couples, in an uncomfortable state. Its dark subject matter is not something meant to be 'enjoyed.' Still, the film is already guaranteed to be a box office success and serves as a reminder that adult dramas can do well if the story is compelling enough and is backed-up by a director who is well-respected. "Gone Girl" represents David Fincher at the top of his game. This is a lurid, nasty piece of work that shines a light on all the skeletons we keep in our closet in regards to marriage, romance, and gender roles. It is a picture that will stay with you long after you leave the theater.

Final Rating: 5 out of 5

"I'm the cunt you married! The only time you liked yourself was when you were trying to be someone this cunt might like. I'm not a quitter...I'm that cunt."