A fairly original gripping murder mystery

Rating: 7/10 (2 January 2018)

'Gone Girl' is a hard movie to review - I really don't want to give away too much, because the less you know, the better. I'll say this much - it's a very engrossing mystery/thriller, that's for sure. Certainly lots of twists and turns that keep you guessing and engaged throughout.
The main problem is the length - at over two & a half hours, I feel like it could have been wrapped up in a double 'Law & Order'/'CSI'-like episode (i.e. one & a half hours). Sure, it's moody and suspenseful, but it definitely drags at times. The ending is a little ridiculous, but fits with the rest of the film.
On the plus-side, the acting is superb, with Affleck & Pike doing the majority of the heavy lifting and truly lending gravitas to their characters. The support cast is also great - Coon as his sister, NPH as the ex-boyfriend, Perry as the lawyer and Dickens as the detective. The Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross score is again ominous and fitting, if a little bland at times.