good and thought provoking

Rating: 8/10 (28 October 2014)

It is a well made and intelligent film for adults, bleak and pessimistic in its outlook on people, women in particular. Maybe it went too far in the depiction of a failed marriage and of two people who fail to live up to mutual expectations. There are countless marriages that do not work but usually people just divorce, they do not turn out to be cynical psychopaths, even if they hate each other. But then we would not have a best-selling book and a film. What I liked is that Fincher is not afraid to ask whether marriage is basically a trap for two people pressured by the society and religion to stay together at all costs. The film is rather mysogynistic, it dislikes people. The women come off as even worse than men, usually stronger and more manipulative. The only character which is pleasant and not dumb at the same time is the female detective. Her police partner is well meaning but dull and stupid, the lawyer played by Perry is smart but cynical. Nick's sister, played by the attractive Carrie Coon, would be nice if it weren't for the signs that she is in love with her brother (in a non-sisterly manner) and psychologically hung-up on him. The film also undermines the myth that a child is always a blessing for a marriage, here the child allows Amy to trap Nick in their unhappy and twisted marriage. The production values are high as in all Fincher films and Trent Reznor's music is excellent - minimalistic and not overbearing but always stressing the point.