Gone Girl
I would like to begin this post by saying that I struggled trying to figure out how to review this movie. I struggled with this for almost a week. It’s fantastic. It’s almost as if David Fincher asked what kind of movie Alfred Hitchcock would have made were he alive today, because that’s exactly what’s on screen. But, to properly review this movie without spoiling anything is all but impossible. So, I’ll skip over the plot.
First off, Rosamund Pike is unbelievably amazing in the role of Amy Dunne, the wife of Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck). Her character is complicated in a film full of complicated people. But she was mesmerizing. You can see why Affleck’s character fell in love with this “cool girl”. And you will wonder why anybody would ever want to hurt her, let alone kill her.
Ben Affleck as Nick Dunne is amazing, but I’ve always been a fan of Affleck. So, rather than spoil the movie, I will talk about how we are in the midst of an Affleck resurgence. I’ll even go farther and say this: he’s perfect for Batman. Come on guys, “Daredevil” was eleven years ago, and even that wasn’t his fault. He’s a brilliant man. “The Town” was terrific, “Argo” was terrific, “Gone Girl” was amazing, and he’ll be a great Batman (whether the movie will be good or not, the jury’s still definitely out, but even if it’s not, it won’t be Affleck’s fault). I’ve never seen Affleck play a role like this, detached, middle-aged husband in a marriage that’s going through problems. It’s so much more down to Earth than what we’re used to seeing and yet, more fantastical at the same time. I’ve been a fan of Affleck since “Chasing Amy”, “Good Will Hunting”, and “Dogma”. He is a splendid actor. Stop giving him crap because of “Daredevil” and his short relationship with Jennifer Lopez.
Even Tyler Perry was a revelation. When I first heard he was cast in this, when I was told he was GOOD in this, I was surprised. But his character is magnetic, and features some of the best lines in the movie. Likewise, Neil Patrick Harris is a lot of creepy fun in this movie. But if there is a true villain of this movie, it’s the media. The Nancy Grace expy was so on point, it was terrifying… doing what Nancy Grace does, and what the media always does, sensationalize and terrify (take a look at the current ebola scare to see it playing out in real life once again).
“Who did it” movies are nothing new, but “Gone Girl” is a fresh, Hitchcockian approach to a very old concept. It’s worth seeing, it was the best movie I’ve seen all year, and I recommend it. You will be surprised, your sympathies will transfer more than once, and you will fine yourself transfixed by a movie that depict marriage itself as scarier than any monster, serial killer, or supervillain you’ll come across in the movie being played one theater over.