Gone Girl [2014]

David Fincher combined his experiences in concocting compelling crime dramas (Se7en and Zodiac) and morbid satirical humour (Fight Club) to adapt Gillian Flynn’s bestselling misanthropic book for the gripping film Gone Girl, that, like his best works, seamlessly trudged the line between art and entertainment. Dark, disturbing, incredibly moody and brilliantly paced, it succeeded in evoking a not too optimistic picture of marital breakdown, media manipulations, importance of public perceptions and the underbelly of American Dream, despite its outrageous storyline. Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), a one-time populist writer for a men’s magazine and a likeable guy, and Amy (Rosamund Pike), a beautiful lady with a terrific resume whose idealized version formed the source of a popular fictional character created by her parents, seem the perfect All-American couple. However, when she disappears under mysterious circumstances on their fifth anniversary, a massive police investigation and media witch-hunt results, leading to unraveling of discomfiting skeletons from their closet. Revealing any more about the plot would be a blasphemy for those yet to watch this topsy-turvy film that is sure to leave the viewers guessing right till the unceremonious but apt finale. That Fincher has a great ability in creating brooding atmosphere has been a given right from his debut film Alien 3, and that was once again in exquisite display here. Affleck was rightly cast in Nick’s role despite his limited acting prowess, while Pike, as the cold, icy, brilliant, unpredictable, self-serving and sociopathic femme fatale, did a very good job. The pulsating score and narrative structuring did a good job at sustaining tension, suspense and dystopian portrayal of a marriage gone horribly wrong.

Director: David Fincher
Genre: Thriller/Crime Thriller/Psychological Thriller
Language: English
Country: US