Gone Girl is one of the most anticipated films of the year and the latest masterpiece from one of the truly great directors of our time, David Fincher.  Gone Girl is based on the best-selling novel by author Gillian Flynn, who also wrote the screenplay.  The book took the world by storm and soon had A-list actors and directors circling the project.  

 

It’s safe to say the film found the best director for the job.  With films like Se7en, The Game, Zodiac, and Fight Club, Fincher has proven to be a master of weaving twisty storylines under a cloud of mystery.  Ironically, the last film Fincher directed, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was also a best-selling mystery novel.  Whereas Tattoo was greeted with mixed reviews, Gone Girl has been universally praised by critics and when it’s all said and done, will be considered one the best films of the year.

 

For those not familiar with the book, Gone Girl tells the story of Nick and Amy Dunne, a seemingly ideal New York couple.  Amy, played by Rosamund Pike, is the beautiful wife with the Ivy League education.  Amy also happens to be the inspiration for “Amazing Amy”, a series of children’s books written by her mother.  Nick, played by Ben Affleck, is the handsome husband, enjoying a successful career as a writer.  All seems perfect until Amy and Nick both lose their jobs.  They decide to move back to Nick’s hometown in Missouri so Nick can look after his dying mother.  Here, they open up a bar together and settle into suburban life.  Until one day, Amy is just gone.

 

There are numerous signs of struggle and it doesn’t take long before Nick is suspected of being involved in his wife’s disappearance.  To say any more would be giving away too much.  Gone Girl is the kind of film where the viewer is best going in knowing as little as possible about the plot.

 

One of the main themes of Gone Girl is the media and how they twist and sensationalize cases like this, especially when it involves a husband accused of murdering his wife.  We live in an increasingly media obsessed world.  A world where people aren’t convicted in a court of law, but on 24 hour news channels, newspapers and social media.

 

The casting for Gone Girl was also under a lot of early scrutiny and everybody from Hollywood insiders to online message boards were quick to slam the decision to cast Affleck and Pike as the leads.  Ben Affleck’s detractors stated that he didn’t have the acting chops for a role like this and that he wasn’t likeable enough.  Rosamund Pike is a relative unknown, and that was the very concern for her.  Most people felt that the role of Amy should go to somebody that is a little more well-known, somebody like Reese Witherspoon, who was originally set to play Amy.  Fincher went in a different direction, but Witherspoon stayed on as a producer.

 

To say both casting decisions were a success is an understatement.  Affleck and Pike give two of the best acting performances of the year and I wouldn’t be surprised if both are rewarded with nominations come Oscar season.  It turns out, the very worries people had for the actors worked in the film’s favor.

 

I’ve always been a Ben Affleck supporter.  I thought he was great in Good Will Hunting and he’s been a solid actor in numerous other films.  Somewhere along the line, it became a common joke that Affleck can’t act.  Even when he found success as a director, people would still say, “well, at least he’s a good director.”  Affleck also seems to rub people the wrong way for some reason, which is perfect for the role of Nick Dunne.  Nick is a guy that you’re not sure if you want to have a beer with him or strangle that smarmy smile from his face.

 

Another area that helped prepare Affleck for the role is the fact that he has been under the microscope of the media for over a decade.  First with his relationship to Jennifer Lopez and now with his casting as Batman, a decision that was also greeted with disdain among fanboys.  Affleck seemingly can’t put on his Bat Suit without people debating on Twitter and Facebook whether or not he should be putting his left or right leg in first.

 

As for Pike, it was shear genius casting somebody who isn’t well-known.  Casting an actress that the audience isn’t familiar with helps wipe away any preconceived notions.  Amy is such a complex character and Rosamund Pike nailed every facet of her.  There’s something hauntingly beautiful about Pike and her performance is career defining.  If you didn’t know who she was before, you will now.

 

The rest of the cast also raised some eyebrows, but they also turn in solid performances.  Tyler Perry, (yes, Madea herself) plays Nick’s hotshot lawyer.  A toned down Neil Patrick Harris plays Amy’s former flame, who might still have feelings for her.

 

My biggest worry for the film was how they would handle Amy’s journal entries.  They are such a huge part of the book and it would be impossible to leave them out.  The only problem is that it doesn’t always translate to the big screen.  Thankfully, it’s pulled off to perfection.  We see Amy and Nick’s relationship grow through flashback.  We also hear Amy’s inner thoughts as she reads her journal entries.  It’s balanced so well and really sets the film apart from other mystery films.

 

Gone Girl is the rare mystery/thriller that Hollywood just doesn’t make all that often anymore.  It features two strong lead performances and is another feather in the cap of a director that already has a resume that most directors would kill for.  Fincher has yet to make a bad film and I can’t wait to see what he does next.  Maybe the most interesting question people will walk out of the theater asking is can you ever truly know the person to whom you are married?