Gone Girl: Men Are So Dumb

Rating: 8/10 (20 October 2014)

"Gone Girl" centers around a woman (Rosamund Pike) who goes missing (presumably murdered) and the media coverage which ensues and rapidly turns the husband (Ben Affleck) into the prime suspect. As this film moves forward, there are other characters which help accentuate the mystery aspect of this "murder mystery"; e.g. Desi (Neil Patrick Harris) a past lover, Margo (Carrie Coon) the husband's sister and only confidant, and Tanner Bolt (confidently played by Tyler Perry) a charismatic Johnnie Cochran-type who loves to win as much as he loves the pageantry of defending high profile clients.
Though the storytelling is continuously strong, the first half of this film is constructed in a way that due to the actual source material (which was adapted for the big screen by Gillian Flynn, from her own novel) and a heavy slathering of director David Fincher's powerfully distinctive visual sensibility, this is a film that will intentionally fool people into thinking it to be a stylized but somewhat routine murder mystery, when in actuality, what "Gone Girl" turns into is more so a uniquely inventive, satirical, tale of fatal attraction.
This "turn" takes place about half way through, when a major plot twist occurs. A twist which separates this film from the routine and (aside from the morbid slather of dark comedy perfectly incorporated into a film about murder) puts "Gone Girl" into a genre all its own. Not to say that other aspects of "Gone Girl" aren't up to par. The fact is, most of the performances are engaging (if you know me, then you know I hate to admit that Tyler Perry was a part of anything worth watching) especially the work of one Rosamund Pike, who delivers a performance so visceral that it should elicit a vocal response from audiences. But all of that is overshadowed by the fascinating marital motivation concepts thrown at the audience (especially in the final scene) Fincher's direction, some excellent editing and another haunting score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Final Thought: Though "Gone Girl" is still receiving mostly positive critical reviews, I believe this to be a film that due to its unconventional comedic tone and twist, Fincher's adaptation of this odd little novel may not be truly appreciated as a masterwork until years down the line. Hell, with a 4 out of 5 Star review, I know that I don't truly appreciate the structural and satirical brilliance of a movie like "Gone Girl" as much as I should or eventually will.