Gone Girl (2014)

Release Date: 3 October, 2014


What's It About: Nick Dunne comes home to find that his wife Amy, a children's book writer, has suddenly gone missing. The highly-publicized search for her brings media scrutiny onto him but there is a much more complex web of deceit going on.


The Good: Highly thrilling and interesting story full of twists. The tension that slowly builds up throughout the course of the film is slow and measured and we are slowly pushed into the depths of the minds of both Amy and Nick, whose character motivations are explored through flashbacks. The story is definitely character-driven and events take place fitting to their personalities. We are left pushing our sympathies back and forth across characters until in the end we have no idea who to root for.


The Bad: There are some unusual decisions made by some characters that affect the outcome of the film. They aren't quite as blatant as a deus ex machina but they do seem implausibly opportune. Some of the finer details are a bit strange and don't make much sense logically. That said, Fincher had to take some liberties with his storytelling in order to propel things forward towards the climax.


Best Performance: Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne. Her characterization is complex and nuanced. Her portrayal is that of a timid, meek housewife and the film's public believes in that, and that she has been abducted and/or murdered in earnest. However, Pike's performance required her to be much more assertive and calculating and this hidden resolve needed to be subtly visible beneath her gentle demeanor.


Should I Watch It: Gone Girl is a great psychological thriller full of twists and revelations. Nothing is as it seems as we are taken on a journey through the psyches of both Nick and Amy and learn about their pasts and how the current state of affairs came to be. There are some high-tension moments when things kick up and some satisfying scenes with characters unleashing themselves upon one another. The ending is definitely one that lingers with you after you've left the cinema.


Post-Credits Scene: No


Similar Films: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Fight Club (1999), Birdman (2014)


Trailer: