Comes close to the book's brilliance--and that's a big compliment.

Rating: 9/10 (6 October 2019)

They were never going to pull off the *exact* same feeling and depth of the book, as many narrative devices used in the book are impossible to translate to film. What David Fincher and Gillian Flynn came up with, however, is a close second.
The story of Nick and Amy Dunne could not have found a better director or cast. Then they had Gillian Flynn, the original author, pen the screenplay. Boom. Yes. That's how it needed to be done. All aces so far.
Much of the plot's aspects and details were included, even if they are rearranged and adjusted for the film's benefit. The most satisfying survivor of the transition is the now infamous Cool Girl speech played over THE pivotal moment in the story--possibly the part in the film that gets the closest to the thrill of the novel.
Where there thematic arguments, points, and plot developments missing? Of course. Did I miss them? Of course. There were a couple of huge things missing that changes the DNA of the story a little too much, rendering it less gut-punching than the book. I'd tell you what they are, but in the world of Gone Girl almost *everything* is a spoiler.
A vital element of the book is just how relentlessly thorough it is--the narrative doesn't stop until every single point is made with brutal accuracy. So in contrast, a movie version will inevitably feel truncated, or like a "best of" montage. That's why I HIGHLY RECOMMEND reading the book first, waiting a few weeks, and then watching the movie. That will be the most satisfying way to experience this insane, razor-sharp story.
Ultimately, this should have been a mini-series. But what they managed in a 2 1/2 hour film was remarkable.