GONE GIRL (2014)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
Reprinted with permission by Steel Notes Magazine
It is tempting to dismiss “Gone Girl” after its
opening scenes of a somewhat haggard Ben Affleck driving to a local bar called
“The Bar” with a coffee drink in his hand, talking to a female bartender who
begins with the typical “Look who finally graced us with their presence”
statement. I was almost ready to give up since the scene reminded me of those Edward
Burns movies and other indie rom-coms of the 90’s, heck Affleck was in some of
those. But as the scene unfolds, we learn the bartender is actually Affleck’s sister
and Affleck’s character actually co-owns The Bar. Then he arrives home to find
his wife is missing and one of the living room tables has been smashed. Director
David Fincher immediately fashions a cool sense of suspense and menace, almost
a creepy vibe washed with placid, dull colors. Affleck looks dull, his sister
looks dull, and everything looks plain and rather bland. Naturally, that is the
point. If everything looked as pristinely beautiful with a Technicolor tint as
in the opening scenes of David Lynch’s suburban nightmare “Blue Velvet,” the creepy
vibe would not be as strong for this intense story. People can go nuts in
perfectly balanced bland suburban towns.
Based on a best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn who
also wrote the intricate screenplay, Ben Affleck is the disaffected Nick Dunne
who discovers that something besides his Best Director Oscar is missing (sorry,
it had to be said). All hell breaks loose and the media has a field day with
his wife’s disappearance. Naturally, Nick is seen as a murderer, the husband
who did away with his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), the inspiration for her
parents’ books called “Amazing Amy.” Nick makes every mistake imaginable – he
smiles for the cameras, shows no real remorse or emotion especially when supposedly
feigning concern at a candlelight vigil in honor of Amy, and still carries on
an affair with a younger woman. This whole section of the film, including Ben
Affleck’s demeanor, reads and smells like the infamous real-life murder case
involving Scott Peterson, right down to the pregnancy factor. Only writer Flynn
and director David Fincher store some grisly surprises that will take your
breath away. I cannot say more for fear of spoiling but those who have read the
book, you know what to expect. All I can say is do not expect to see a corpse.
Speaking of Scott Peterson and that equally grisly
and profoundly disturbing media story, I recently revisited an interview Diane
Sawyer had with Scott and the comparison with Affleck is uncanny – Affleck acts
and looks like Scott Peterson to a tee (including in interviews). Nick Dunne is
the performance of Affleck’s career and the purposeful lack of an emotional
center makes him more human than he first appears. Once you consider the numerous
twists in the narrative, you will understand his indifference in hindsight. As
for Rosamund Pike, she delivers a scorchingly eccentric performance that will
make you nervous, shocked, befuddled and downright exhausted. You are never too
sure what to make of Amy and her alleged disappearance, and the minute details
are revealed through her diary in voice-over and exacting flashbacks.
If I have a bone to pick, it is that “Gone Girl” has
flashes of character-oriented details and nuances yet scant insight into one of
its main characters. Without revealing the twists, you still wonder why one
specific character behaves the way they do – motivation takes a backseat.
Despite that, “Gone Girl” is an entrancing, blood-curlingly fierce suspense
thriller, one of Fincher’s very best mainstream flicks since his underrated “Panic
Room” with a fantastic supporting cast (especially, in atypical roles, Tyler
Perry as a cynical attorney and Neil Patrick Harris as Amy’s wealthy ex-lover).
“Gone Girl” is consistently watchable and unpredictable, showcasing a marriage
that is not what it seems leading to a touch of fatalism that will keep you up
at night. It is a swift, intricately layered, sensational thriller that
requires strict attention. Prepare to squirm throughout.
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