A film that crowns David Fincher as the Dark Lord

Rating: 8/10 (12 December 2014)

David Fincher continues his studies in human deviousness with this masterfully crafted Machiavellian film. His choice of Rosamund Pike is particularly brilliant because it allows her to get her big break and be launched into the high orbit of potential Oscar winners with no more effort than gaining and losing weight. Her messed-up personal life provides her with more than enough material to flesh out her Amy Dunne character, just like Winona Ryder's did in Turks & Caicos.
Pike's slightly haggard face and frightened, borderline paranoid eyes are perfect for Amazing Amy but don't quite convince when supposedly bringing a hot hunk like Nick Dunne (Affleck) under their spell. So we are offered instead a whirlwind of clever verbal foreplay to suggest that Nick falls for Amy's mind more than her body. However since Nick has to be somewhat of a sex addict to have the misadventures he is about to have, they have a lot of unconvincing sex. Somehow, one never quite believes that Amy actually enjoys it. She is just too clever and sassy when she should be incoherent. {SPOILER}As it turns out, she doesn't and it is entirely in role for Nick, whose penis does occupy a rather excessive part of his brain, not to notice.{/SPOILER}
Then we are introduced to the delightful Tyler Perry, whose black humor lifts up the somewhat depressing atmosphere. Made a mental note to see more of that guy's movies.
The second half of the movie reveals the villain's breathtaking, meticulous, Machiavellian deviousness. Not much more can be said without giving it away but that it's really fun to watch.
At the end of it all of course no one is left unblackened except poor and crushed Margo, as befits Fincher's vision of a humanity beyond hope. {SPOILER}However,that's where the plot weakens because it would have been child's play to nail the villain at the end by simply installing a few cameras in the victim's house, where the villain confesses all.{/SPOILER}