Film Review: Gone Girl

Gone Girl (2014)
starring Rosamund Pike, Ben Affleck, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry

Watch the trailer for Gone Girl 

Official synopsis for Gone Girl:

GONE GIRL – directed by David Fincher and based upon the global bestseller by Gillian Flynn – unearths the secrets at the heart of a modern marriage. On the occasion of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) reports that his beautiful wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), has gone missing. Under pressure from the police and a growing media frenzy, Nick’s portrait of a blissful union begins to crumble. Soon his lies, deceits and strange behavior have everyone asking the same dark question: Did Nick Dunne kill his wife?

I saw Gone Girl on its opening day last Friday. I went to see it just before noon and the theater was already packed! I've been waiting to see this movie for a long time as it was one of must-see movies to see in 2014 and I've been following this movie's casting and filming news since Rosamund Pike was cast last year here on my P&P Blog. I must say, I didn't know much about this movie (as I've purposely avoided spoilers) other than its brief synopsis and I've only seen the trailers and TV spots, so not to be spoiled by its plot and interesting twists and turns, and its interesting ending.

I haven't read the book either prior to seeing this movie, which I'm glad I didn't read it before seeing it because I wanted to see it on fresh eyes and in a new perspective without knowing a lot about the movie or spoiling myself. I love that when I was watching this movie I didn't know what's going on and what was going to happen next. The mystery of Amy's disappearance (at the beginning), the suspense, its dark tone, and haunting score got me on the edge of my seat!

The casting of this film was so great especially Rosamund Pike (who I first saw as the beautiful and good girl Jane Bennet in Pride & Prejudice 2005 film 9 years ago...oh, and surprisingly, there's a random P&P/Austen reference in this movie, which I'll mention in a bit...and had been following and seen her other TV and films ever since. She's always great whether she appears in a small or big supporting roles, but this movie is the first time she's playing a bigger part or starring role) in the title lead role as Amy Elliot Dunne. She was perfectly cast in the role, in my opinion. She totally transformed herself in the Amy Dunne character (if you've seen her so many times in P&P movie as Jane Bennet and got used to her as the good girl, after seeing her in this movie, you'll probably never see her in the same way again, lol...or you'll be surprise to see her in this completely different role as you've never seen her before!) also known as Amazing Amy. Miss Pike was A+Amazing. She was excellent as the crazy, delusional, or rather a psychopath and murderous Amy Dunne! She reminded me of Glenn Close's crazy, psychotic role in Fatal Attraction. Rosamund was so convincing and believable...she blew me away with her top notch acting in this film. She was always great in her other movies I saw her in, but on this one she brought her acting to a whole new level. She definitely deserves some acting awards in this challenging and complex role she played in GG. I loved her American accent here (including a southern accent) with her clear and husky voice-overs narrating her flashback and present scenes or when she was reading Amy's diary (especially when she said in one of the entries, "...Man of my dreams. Father of my child. This man of mine may kill me").

A Jane Austen/Pride & Prejudice reference...
Nick and Amy discussed briefly the Pride and Prejudice book in a library scene. I don't remember their exact dialogue in this scene, but I remember Nick (or was it Amy?) mentioned Elizabeth Bennet and said Jane Austen or Jane (a few times or so).

I think it was mostly Nick who said the following lines (paraphrasing it here...not exact words) to Amy...
"Here, search Jane...Austen."
"You're an alienated teen and only Elizabeth Bennet understood you."
"God bless Jane Austen."

Of course, Rosamund, who plays Amy, played Jane Bennet in the Pride & Prejudice (2005) film adaptation of the Austen's novel of the same title. If you're a P&P/Austen fan (like myself), you'll definitely notice the random and unexpected Austen/P&P references. I thought that was interesting and cool. Didn't expect that at all...

Ben Affleck was very good too as Nick Dunne, Amy's husband who was the main suspect of her disappearance. The supporting cast did very good too such as Tyler Perry as Nick's defense attorney Tanner Bolt, Neil Patrick Harris as Desi Collings (I almost thought he was a Mr. Collins especially, when Amy said to him, "hello, Mr. Collings," that sounded like "Collins" without a "g," lol...hmm, that was almost a P&P reference, wasn't it?) albeit in a small role, and especially these two ladies Carrie Coon as Margo Dunne (she was hilarious in this movie with witty one-liners, especially when she said, "whoever took her, is bound to bring her back" lol...), Nick's twin sister, and Kim Dickens as detective Rhonda Boney, as well as Patrick Fugit as officer Jim Gilpin, and even Sela Ward in a cameo role as Sharon Schieber was good. The women in this movie were all really good and impressive.

David Fincher (I loved and enjoyed watching The Social Network, Se7en, and Fight Club movies he directed) did a fantastic job directing this movie. Gillian Flynn, who wrote the original novel (of the same name) and the screenplay of this movie did a great job adapting her own book (though I've not read it...yet) to the big screen. Whether or not it was Flynn's idea, it sure was very cool for this film to include a P&P reference (with Rosamund Pike previously co-starring in P&P movie, that in itself was an extra bonus and made for a double P&P reference)! And the terrific and hypnotic score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross added a chilling thrill and suspense in this movie.

Overall, Gone Girl is a must-see and a great, suspense thriller film! I loved and enjoyed watching it from beginning to end. Rosamund Pike alone was the best thing to watch in this film. I'll definitely be rooting for her to get lots of acting nods and win some awards come awards season because she deserves it. Also, this movie, while it's over two and a half hours long, was never boring (at least not in my viewing...). There are plenty of interesting scenes, some witty one-liners and dialogue that will make you laugh and keep you going, pretty much every Rosamund Pike as Amy Dunne's scenes (including a few disturbing scenes...I gasped and my jaw dropped, as I didn't see them coming!) will get your attention and keep you interested, and the unexpected twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat. And lastly, when the movie is over and long after the end credits roll, you'll still be thinking about it and will be talking about it (with whomever you've seen it with) as it stays with you. I highly recommend you see this movie (if you haven't already seen it). Go see it!

My Gone Girl film rating:   (10/10 A+)