Too Big and Imposing an Effort to Ignore

Rating: 7/10 (11 October 2014)

To describe the plot of Gone Girl as "nuts" would be more than precise. Starting as a fairly rudimentary mystery, it becomes a twisting, twisted study of marital vows that keeps you guessingand rarely accurately. Do not be fooled, however; GG has problems. First, its identity: Is it a tense mystery, a comedic satire of media, a critique of the American family, or a messy mix of all of those? Second, its message: To say that the film has a pessimistic view of marriage is an understatement. Nonetheless, when focused on its strengths (enigmatic plotting, tense character arcs), GG will twist your heart right into your throat. The plot is impossible to fully describe spoiler-free. At its base, it's the story of a husband reeling from the disappearance of his wife and his own accused involvement. Other than some jarring overacting (ie "Nancy Grace"-inspired pundit, crazed neighbor), the performances are strong. Affleck is a protagonist that's hard to root for, but I'm not sure we're really being asked to. He does a commendable job, leading us to analyze his every decision. There are stellar performances by Coon as Affleck's sister, Dickens as the detective, and Perry as the Cochran-like defense lawyer. The breakout however, and clear Oscar front-runner, is Pike, turning in a complex and disciplined performance as the titular Gone Girl. Fincher is a darkly-visionary director, and his murky eye is ever-present in this brooding universe. It only falters when he reaches to play in sweetness and wit, confusing the tone. Overall though, GG is a dark, foreboding crime-thriller that is much too big and imposing to ignore.