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Director: David Fincher
Genre: Thriller, drama
Running time: 149 minutes
Certificate: 18
I have another confession - when I'm not watching movies I'm a bit of a bookworm. That's why when I watched Gone Girl I walked through the door with preconceptions from the novel. If you like reading then you probably didn't miss the uproar surrounding the book Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Prior to the movie announcement I had already read it (a fantastic page turner) and when I heard the movie was in production my anticipation was huge. I knew that if it was executed to reflect the quality of the source material it was going to be a gripping. Then David Fincher was set to direct and I just couldn't wait. My watching relationship with Fincher is complex at best because although he is an artistic director who deserves auteur status, his portrayal of female characters makes his films difficult when viewed through the lens of gender. However, it turns out that Gone Girl happens to be the movie that moves Fincher away from this reputation a little. Anyway, I digress. In case you've missed it, Gone Girl tells the story of Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike,) a young woman who is married and has moved from New York to Missouri with her husband, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) to care for his ailing mother. One day Nick returns home to discover that Amy is missing and the house is in disarray, it looks as if Amy has disappeared after a struggle, and as the investigation deepens the suspicion surrounding Nick's behaviour heightens.
If I had to describe Gone Girl in one word it would be spellbinding. This is a gripping and skillfully crafted film that puts a marriage under the microscope with some chilling results. Trying to write a spoiler-free review of this film is a challenge in itself, but it is safe to say that I would highly recommend it (but be prepared for a grown-up movie which can sometimes shock). The film is beautiful to look at, with muted tones and Fincher's trademark slick yet gritty visual aesthetic. The plot is compelling and the characters are engrossing. Fincher has done it again. Pike has been nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for this role (and she truly deserves the nod). She embodies the role in a way that takes you on her journey, and you are drawn to the characters of Nick and Amy, even at times when you would rather look away. Affleck has been under-rated in this performance, most likely because his portrayal is more understated and gets overshadowed by Pike. However, Affleck plays his role to perfection and makes this everyday guy with a tendency to smile at the wrong moment a really believably flawed character. From beginning to end this is a film with very few flaws, from excellent script writing through to pleasing visuals and thrilling plot, but be warned, if you are experiencing any relationship difficulties you might want to give this a miss, it has the ability to create paranoia in even the most steady of couples.
This is one of the more gruesomely entertaining offerings from this Oscar season and it also has strong female characters, something that is missing from many of the other nominations. It is available to buy in the UK from Feb 2nd 2015, go on, grab a copy and enjoy the ride. You won't regret it.
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