Gone Girl

Rating: 9/10 (9 November 2014)

From Golden Globe nominated director David Fincher (Se7en, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network), this film was recommended to me, I read bits and pieces of what it was about, so I was lucky to catch it at the cinema when I did. Basically Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) returns home, it is the day of his fifth wedding anniversary, he finds his home wrecked and that his wife Amy (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Rosamund Pike) has gone missing, she is the successful author of the popular Amazing Amy children's books, her disappearance receives large press coverage, especially for Nick who is suspected of murdering her, due to his awkward behaviour. Flashbacks reveal that Nick and Amy's marriage had been falling apart for some time, they moved from New York City to Missouri after the recession caused both of them to lose their jobs, Nick became lazy, distant and unfaithful, Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) uncovers evidence that there was financial troubles and domestic disputes, Amy wanting to buy a gun, and a poorly concealed struggle at the crime scene, it is also discovered that Amy was pregnant, Nick denies knowledge of this. Nick decides to hire defence attorney Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry), who specialises in defending husbands accused of murdering their wives, they work to improve his image with the public, including potential interview questions, answers and expressions. Nick starting doing his own investigation to find why Amy disappeared, he meets her ex- boyfriend Tommy O'Hara (Argo's Scoot McNairy), who claims that Amy framed him for rape, and after the discovery of many anniversary presents in the garage Nick realises what has happened, through flashbacks it is revealed that Amy faked her own murder. Amy had been planning for some time to get away from her husband, she formed a fake friendship with a local woman to form a convincing story of abuse and talk of her fake pregnancy, she fabricated a diary describing her fear of her husband, and on the day of her disappearance she left behind incriminating evidence and deliberately clumsy mistakes Nick would make, Amy then changes her appearance and goes to live in a campground. Amy is convinced Nick will be convicted and executed for her murder, but she has her money stolen by two residents of the campground, the only person she can call to help her wealthy former boyfriend Desi Collings (Neil Patrick Harris), who Nick previously spoke to, she filed a retraining order on Desi for stalking, but she convinces him of her fear of Nick and agrees to hide her in his luxury lake house. Nick's twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon) is convinced of her brother's innocence, Nick's student and mistress Andie Fitzgerald (Emily Ratajkowski) does reveal her affair with him to the press, this cause concern for his interview, but Nick uses his interview skills he has learnt appearing on a talk show, where he apologises for his failure as a husband, and he swears he is not a murderer, his public image is improved, Amy is watching his performance on television rekindles her feelings for him. Amy plans to return home, so she seduces Desi to have sex with her, during she slits his throat with a box cutter, she returns home covered in blood, claiming that she was kidnapped and raped, Nick calls her a bitch for her actions, but he is cleared of murder, Amy tells him the truth, saying also that the man she watched on television pleading was the man she wanted to become again, Nick tells Boney, Bolt and Margo about all this, but they have no way to prove Amy's guilt. Nick intends to leave Amy and expose her deceit, but then she reveals that she really is pregnant, using Nick's sperm that was stored at a fertility clinic, he reacts violently, knowing that the press will bury him if he leaves her, feeling responsible also for the child, and despite Margo's objections, he reluctantly stays with her, Nick and Amy announce the pregnancy on television, it ends with them in bed, him wondering what she is thinking. Also starring Patrick Fugit as Officer Jim Gilpin, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's Missi Pyle as Ellen Abbott and Casey Wilson as Noelle Hawthorne. Affleck is terrific being charming while hiding resentment for what is happening, and Harris proves himself a credible serious actor as the mildly sinister old flame, but Pike takes the film with her superb exceptional performance as the psychologically disturbed bitch who will do anything to get her own way. I was told this film may not be to my taste, that could not be more wrong, I found it one of the finest films I have seen in years, filled with dark modern relationship problems and invasive press coverage to keep you gripped, and many unsettling twists and turns that will make your jaw drop, it is a brilliant mystery thriller. It was nominated the BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Screenplay and Best Original Score for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Very good!