Gone Girl - Good Execution rendered with Pot Holes

Rating: 7/10 (4 November 2014)

Gone Girl
By Raj Doctor
The movie was consistently rated 4 or 4.5 out of 5 by most critics. The IMDb rated it quite high at 8.5 out of 10. The Director is David Fincher – of Seven, Panic Room, Fight Club, Zodiac and Social Network fame. Gillian Flynn (resembling a bit the movie actress Rosamund Pike) the author of the 6-million plus copies sold "Gone Girl" was on New York Best sellers' list for more than 10 weeks. Does it get any better – not to see this film?
David Fincher has made movies on various subjects and is considered master of adapting books and novels into movies. It might be his phase of life where he wanted to explore couple relationship and he found an apt book through Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl.
The story– Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) discovers his wife Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) missing, and reports to the police. Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) investigates the case and the audience is taken into exploring the case clues – that somewhat point to Nick's hand in the disappearance of his wife. In flashback it is shown Nick having relationship outside marriage and having bad temper – thus becomes the unassuming suspect in the eyes of police, audience and to some extend Nick's twin-sister Margo (Carrie Coon) who supports Nick in every way. Just around half-time we know that Amy is alive, and she is the one who has orchestrated the disappearance act to take revenge on unfaithful husband Nick. How Amy returns back to Nick forms the rest of the story.
The movie is surely about issues around modern couples and their relationships within marriage. Not one partner is true – there are lies, cheating, hate, deception within their interaction, yet they are together.
Ben Affleck is effortless and does not have to do much in terms of acting, and yet he justifies his role and the mystery around his cheating character. Amy Dunne plays a very contrived – so called referred (in the movie) as sociopath – and she brings much nuances in her role with her expressions to understand what goes in her mind. The remaining star cast is okay. Kim Dickens role as a detective reminded us of Fargo's Frances McDormand, but Kim's role did not have that much depth.
The first hour of the movie is just a built up and slow. Nothing much is happening. The second half picks up and holds attention.
I could not fathom why a wife should go to such an extend to take revenge of her husband by enacting her own disappearance and murder? (Sociopath?)
I would not say that there was anything wrong with the film's execution. I have read that Director David Fincher has been very faithful at the adaptation of screenplay which is also written by the authoress of the novel - Gillian Flynn.
I think there is a problem in the plot of the novel itself. It may be well written and surely liked by people – as it is a best seller. But there are BIG pot holes in the story itself. I would not dwell into it – one can read the IMDb hated reviews to understand those.
Ending is one point that is discussed and debated a lot – but I do not find it worthy to discuss much. It is this - husband and wife continue to stay together within the marriage knowing each other's dark sides.
Overall, the movie was okay. Well directed – but bland. As what happens now a day to most of the movies – it is over-hyped and under-delivered. I found Gone Girl suffering from that psychosis. Nothing amiss if you miss seeing it and nothing to give such high rating!
(Rating 6.75 out of 10)