Gone Girl

Gone Girl (2014)

Directed by David Fincher

Based on Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel “Gone Girl”

Screenplay by Gillian Flynn

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

After his wife Amy (Pike) disappears, Nick Dunne (Affleck) is thrust into the media spotlight. Now he’s forced to go on the defensive as doubts begin to build about his innocence. Soon law enforcement begins to share those suspicions as their investigation provides more questions than answers.

Gillian Flynn (Dark Places) took her novel “Gone Girl” from best-selling book to the big screen. As the screenwriter, she was able to translate her story into one of the most anticipated films of the year. David Fincher (Panic Room) signed on to direct the movie. Ben Affleck (Argo) stars in the lead role, accompanied by Rosamund Pike (Jack Reacher). Carrie Coon (The Leftovers), Tyler Perry (Good Deeds), Kim Dickens (Red), and Neil Patrick Harris (The Muppets) are also featured in the movie.

This is an intricate story of intrigue, mystery, and outside pressures on the common man. The character of Nick Dunne is the vehicle for all of these things to happen throughout the film. The story does a great job mixing in the little details while keeping much of reality hidden. Moments of revelation are also scattered through the film, but never enough to make things predictable. The twists are all nicely built-in as well. The story does a good job giving questions to the audience that linger throughout the movie. The dialogue also seems right for the story, making the whole thing seem plausible and sometimes uncomfortably realistic. Overall, this is a really good story.

The acting in this film does a wonderful job keep the edge on the story. Ben Affleck gives a great performance as the flawed and conflicted Nick Dunne. His role is central to the film, and it called for a wide range of emotions. He delivers with a role that carries the emotional weight of the story. Rosamund Pike is the other big piece to the puzzle in this one. She’s got an interesting role that asks for an equal amount of emotional range. She put together a wonderful performance that really makes her character real.

The cast also includes Tyler Perry, Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, and Neil Patrick Harris. Each of these actors does a good job with their parts in the movie. Kim Dickens is especially good in her role as Detective Rhonda Boney. She had to play her role with a certain amount of detachment to keep the story working. Carrie Coon is also good with her role as Nick’s sister. Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris are also good in this one. Overall, the cast seems to bring out everything the story needed to be successful.

The film is visually nice, with great cinematography and art direction. The settings are relatively common, which allows for the uncommon story to feel out-of-place in all the right ways. The film also has a good score to go along with these visuals. Overall, the technical aspects of this film don’t miss a beat.

I haven’t read the book, so I don’t really care to debate any differences between it and the film. This is a nicely made movie that features a number of great twists and turns. The acting is solid and the production is great. If you’re a fan of the stars in this one, make sure to check it out. I would also recommend this one to fans of psychological drama, thrillers, and mystery movies. I give this one 4.2 out of 5 stars.