GONE GIRL

As seen in

www.camrosecanadian.com

David Fincher is God! As a director, he seems to have the Midas touch. Fincher’s films have been Oscar gems like The Social Network and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to cult classics like Seven, Fight Club, and The Game. This time he teams up with the (publicly criticized) soon-to-be-new caped crusader, Ben Affleck to bring us Gone Girl. A flick based on Gillian Flynn’s novel (and also screenplay) of the same name.

In a movie set to (intentionally) unfold like the pages of a diary, we are introduced to Nick Dunne (Affleck). We know Nick is troubled when his first trip of the morning is to The Bar (clever actual business name) to have a glass of bourbon. He proceeds to tell his woes to the bartender, someone we later find out is his sister, Margo (Carrie Coon). We find out that he and Amy were both writers who were laid off in the recession of 2010 and coupled with Nick’s mother being terminally ill, end up moving to North Carthage, Missouri. We learn it is Nick’s fifth anniversary with his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) and that the last few years have been far from wedded bliss. He is interrupted by a phone call by a neighbour telling that something is up at his house. Hurrying home, he finds what appears to be a break-and-enter and that Amy is missing. 

Though he calls the authorities immediately, when the police, led by Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens), begin questioning Nick about his wife, everything falls apart. Not only does he seem unconcerned anymore, but he finds himself unable to answer the simplest of questions that are thrown his way. His statements push the film into a series of flashbacks taken from Nick’s perspective. We see that, like most marriages, it starts out perfect…but then things change. Unfortunately, as things progress, the disappearance of Amy Dunne seems to suggest that the person responsible is Nick himself.

When the tabloids and the talk shows begin pointing fingers directly at Nick, he is forced to hire defense attorney Tanner Bolt (played surprisingly well by Tyler Perry…yes, that Tyler Perry). When more secrets are revealed, including finding out about Nick’s mistress, the quest for truth may be a longer journey than expected. But it is when the story switches the perspective of the flashbacks that we really begin to scratch our heads. Being taken through a series of twists, turns, and downright detours, the audience is constantly changing their once certain thoughts on “whodunit”.

In my opinion, everything about this show was incredible!  It had many commanding performances, specifically from Pike but also a powerful performance from Neil Patrick Harris. Finally, the ending (written intentionally by the author) will leave the entire audience groan in unison…and I absolutely loved it! This movie will walk away with Academy Award gold in March. Well done!!