Gone Girl focuses on the strained marriage between Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike). On the day of their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy disappears without a trace. The blood splatter found at their home and his general indifference in public appearances following Amy's disappearance makes Nick the prime suspect for her murder. As the evidence mounts, the case heads in directions that neither Nick or anyone else could've ever saw coming.
Gone Girl is one of those rare films that you just can't shake after watching. Once the credits started rolling, the sheer weight of the film hit me all at once and rendered me speechless. The driving force behind Gone Girl's grand success is the phenomenal screenplay from Gillian Flynn. Flynn-who adapted the screenplay from her own novel- crafts a dense narrative that piles on the twists and delivers commentary on modern marriage and the media's flare for sensationalist journalism with blunt-force trauma. The story of Gone Girl is a bit over-the-top at times, but the messages Flynn conveys here are painfully true and relevant. While I'm not married myself, I've seen marriages unravel for the same reasons as the Dunne's and, it's shocking to see how realistic her portrayal of troubled marriages is here. Flynn's commentary on the media is equally sharp and accurate as she rips on television reporters who mindlessly character assassinate people involved in scandals before all the facts have been presented.
Flynn didn't just write a film that serves as a scathing criticism of major social problems in modern society, she also writes one of the most enthralling thrillers of all-time. Every detail in the mystery of Amy's disappearance is fascinating and the story consistently heads in unexpected directions. Every time you think you've figured out the motives of the characters and the truth behind Amy's disappearance, Flynn throws the audience for a loop. If Flynn doesn't win Best Adapted Screenplay at this year's Academy Awards, there's no justice in the world.
Flynn's flawless writing is brought to life by perfect casting choices across the board. Affleck's work as Nick is his best performance since at least The Town, if not Good Will Hunting. Affleck's reputation as a smug, emotionless prick pays dividends here as he nails the role of a man who shows a disturbing lack of empathy during a time where he should be an emotional wreck. Affleck gets a lot of flack for his ability (or lack thereof) as an actor, but no one could've possibly played this role better than him. The supporting players including Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris-who sound extremely miscast on paper-are also excellent here. Perry shows legitimate acting ability for the first time in his career as Tanner Bolt- the high-priced, sleazy defense lawyer that Nick hires after he comes to his defense on national television. Perry demonstrates a charisma and gift for dark comedy that has been completely buried in his other roles. Patrick Harris is a completely different story; as he successfully goes out of his comfort zone for the umpteenth time (seriously, is there anything this guy can't do?) as an obsessive ex-boyfriend of Amy's who ends up playing a pivotal role in the proceedings of the film. Both of these casting choices were bold and unconventional, but they end up working out perfectly.
While the entire cast delivers, the real revelation in the film is Pike. It's hard to address the intricacies of Pike's performance without disclosing major spoilers, let's just say that her tortured performance is the centerpiece of the entire film. While I've seen a lot of Pike's work in the past, this is the first time where the sheer power of her acting bowled me over. Pike's work here is the type of powerhouse performance that commands immediate consideration from the year-end award shows. Gone Girl is a haunting and startlingly truthful work that gets under your skin in a way that only truly masterful films can. Even in a filmography that's as loaded with outstanding work as Fincher's is, it manages to stand out from the pack. There's a lot of potential gems on the horizon for the rest of 2014, but it's going to be hard for anything to top the tour-de-force that is Gone Girl.
4.5/5 Stars
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