Fincher sticks close to his idiom and creates something exquisite & memorable.

Rating: 9/10 (6 October 2014)

Gone Girl marks a kind of evolution in David Fincher's filmography. It's possibly his most provocative film along with Fight Club; one that will lead to the most conversation and filled with the most humor (the darker kind of course). It explores relationships and the media circus as well. Other than that you see what Fincher has delivered for most of his career; an engrossing, uneasy, and at times horrifying storyall making for an exceptional drama.
It starts off as a conventional missing-person story but midway the 'mystery' is uncovered; the story has way more up its sleeve. What follows is a deliciously twisted cat-and-mouse game between characters that are going to be amongst cinema's most memorable. There is an addictive brand of insanity which unravels in Gone Girl that's previously unseen in Fincher films.
An expectedly sinister mood hangs over the story which is substantially heightened by Trent Reznor's music which is largely understated but piercing in the right moments. Apart from that, the film is an exhibition of Fincher's expertise; adding layers of drama & texture leading to a climax that fulfills and even exceeds expectations.
Ben Affleck gets an excellent role and displays how effective he can be given the right character. But it is Rosamund Pike who steals the show. Her performance is a revelation of sorts; playing a character that is a mere presence initially but then takes command of the story and lures us in. The supporting cast is also notable and plays to the film's advantage in many stages; Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, and Tyler Perry excel in their parts.
Overall, Gone Girl is an outstanding exercise in characters taking charge despite the concept of mystery at its core. Fincher sticks close to his idiom and creates something exquisite & memorable.