MYST #3: Gone Girl

Gone Girl

Review by Nicky Nocerino
     The problem with reviewing a movie like Gone Girl is that it is hard to know how much to say about it. This movie doesn't have one big spoiler to stay clear of but instead has a lot of small expected pieces that add up into some thing very interesting. While I might be able to give a more comprehensive review by discussing some of these pieces, I would do so at the risk of lessening the experience for anyone who watches this movie after reading this review. I only watched the trailer before viewing the movie, and even that slightly colored my experience, though I do believe it did so in a positive light. So, in order to avoid this predicament I will review as much of this movie as I can without out any spoilers that are not in the first 20 minutes of the movie or in the trailer, then I  will smack up a big ol' spoiler warning and go a little more in depth.
     Directed by David Fincher, Gone Girl is about the investigation of the kidnapping or possible murder of Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike). Fincher has a lot of experience with investigation movies from his work on Zodiac and Se7en, both great movies in their own right, and it really shows here. The movie is excellently paced and does  great of showing both sides of the investigation simultaneously intermingling, as well as playing some really cool tricks with character motivations. The story, from what I have heard, makes the transition from book to movie almost flawlessly, and holds the dark tone Fincher is known for inducing. Some of the characters are played a little to strong, and it begins to stretch the realism a little thin, but when it works it really works.
     The acting in this movie deserves some credit as it has a very strong cast that bring their A game, and do great driving in this movies dark cold tone. Ben Affleck plays Nick Dunne with the emotional vagueness and subtlety necessary in the role, but also can be more active when he needs to be, and I also enjoyed that they made him looking smug in a minor plot point. Rosamund Pike also turns an excellent performance both on the screen and with only her voice in several flashbacks. Tyler Perry also does a good job as Tanner Bolt, giving some life to an otherwise almost completely generic role. I don't think that anyone will necessarily be remembered for their role, but it is apparent that these actors have some real talent and they don't hesitate to show it off.
     This movie is really good and you should go see it if you haven't before reading the rest of this review.

     One of the most memorable parts of this movie is the rapid shift in tone roughly halfway through the movie. Up until this point the film had kept a very slow tone through the early stages of the investigation, and through the previously mentioned emotional vagueness and subtlety, along with some less than flattering character reveals, begins to make the audience think that Nick is hiding something. This is so well done that when it is revealed that Amy is in fact not dead but instead is trying to frame her husband for murder, the reveal signals the shift of tone of the movie from a that of a mystery to that of a battle of minds. The pacing also starts to pick up here to match the tone shift and it is here that the movie really nails it.

     As the movie goes on we find out more about Amy's past and the more of an unlikable character she becomes. This really pushes the audience to really root for Nick Dunne, even if he is far from a perfect character, and it is from this that the the movie's coup de grace comes. Nick doesn't win, not even close. After he is successful in beating Amy in her game of media, she comes back and frames an old stalker for the kidnapping, trapping Nick to be stuck with her by essentially holding his unborn child hostage. And it is here the movie ends, feeling like the movie has half an hour left, with Nick stuck and Amy getting exactly what she wanted from him. This ending was so unexpected and unnervingly dark that it leaves the audience with emotional whiplash when the end credits roll, but it only goes to push in what appears to be the theme of this movie, victory goes to the one who will do what his opponent will not.
     While this movie had a lot of good going for it, there are still some things that don't really work. Amy's character, while haunting is occasionally taken to far and seems unreallistically evil, and some while some of the things she gets a way with are chillingly realistic, others push human sympathy a little to far past common sense. Other than that and a few cookie cutter character archetypes as the lead investigator and defense attorney Tanner Bolt, this movie really hold together well.
     All in all, while this movie wasn't perfect and probably wasn't Fincher's best work(for my money it's between Zodiac, Se7en, an The Game) it was still a damn good one and definitely worth the ticket price.
I give it 5 pluses and 1 minus(and it only barely gets that minus).

Plot	+
Characters	-
Acting	+
Music	+
Cinematography	+
Effects	=
Style	=
Personal enjoyment	+

Trailer: