"Gone Girl" Mesmerizes Due to Stunning Performance by Rosamund Pike; Ben Affleck was Good, Too

   

   David Fincher's "Gone Girl" is a crazy movie. Based on the novel by the same title, the story is about a lot of things. It illustrates how manipulative and powerful the media is. It deals with loss and the struggles of maintaining relationships, as well as many other themes, all combining into one crazy narrative that, by the end, will leave you shaking your head in awe as to what transpired before your eyes. It's a riveting tale that will stay with you after you leave the theater.

   The story follows a couple, Nick and Amy Dunne, (played by Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike respectively). After moving from their New York home to Nick's home town in Missouri due to vocational hardships, Nick and Amy's relationship goes through some difficult times. On their 5th wedding anniversary, Nick reports to the police that his wife has gone missing. Soon, pressure mounts from the police investigation as well as the swarming media and before he knows it, Nick's image of his blissful marriage begins to dissolve. The media is a heartless beast, so when Nick's lies, deceit and odd behavior become more and more apparent, everyone begins to ask the sinister question: did Nick kill his wife?

   First let me start by saying, if you have any interest in seeing this film, prepare yourself. It's a long film, almost three hours, and there are moments when the plot trudges along. There's not much action, very little in fact. This movie is straight narrative, driven almost completely by the characters and their development. It felt a lot like reading a book. I guess you can contribute that to Gillian Flynn who wrote the screenplay and actually authored the book the film is based on. That's not to say the movie wasn't good. The performances by the cast, the two leads in particular, are what sell the crap out of this film. The thing is, you don't get a sense of that from the trailers. The movie is much more powerful in its entirety.

   The dark and harrowing nature of the story has a sense of realism not found in most films. The characters are grounded in reality and are completely believable, which says a lot once you get to know these characters from start to finish. Ben Affleck has proven himself as an A-List actor. Personally, looking at his work, I feel his best performances have come from films he's starred AND directed in; "Argo" and "The Town" to name a few. As the flawed and struggling Nick, Affleck does a fantastic job. However, the award for best performance in this film has to undoubtedly go to Rosamund Pike. Her take on the Amy character is truly Grade-A and brings such a resiliency to the character that it makes for a truly enticing viewing experience. "Gone Girl" isn't the best film of the year, however both Affleck and Pike give probably some of the best performances of the year hands down.

   If you've read the book, I've heard the film is pretty close to the source material, however I haven't read it nor can I confirm this. You would think though that having the book's author write the screenplay, you stand a pretty positive chance at viewing a decent adaptation. At any rate, "Gone Girl" was trippy, dark, and twisted. It's definitely worth viewing.