Chilling...but maybe not in the way you expected

Rating: 8/10 (27 February 2015)

Nick Dunne's wife has gone missing. He pleads with the public for help in finding her and bringing her safely home. But the evidence clearly indicates that his wife has met a bloody end. Nick can protest his innocence and go through the motions of looking for his wife all he wants. To the police this is a murder investigation and he is the one and only suspect. Evidence mounts, motive is established. To say things don't look good for Nick would be putting it mildly. His only ally is his twin sister but Nick gives even her reason to doubt him. There's a media firestorm surrounding the case. Television loves it whenever an attractive young blonde woman goes missing. And Nick's wife is no ordinary pretty young thing. She's Amazing Amy, the inspiration for a line of popular children's books written by her parents. The police are all over Nick, the media have convicted him before he's even charged. The disappearance of Amazing Amy is the biggest cause célèbre in the nation. And the nation has decided Nick is the villain in this story. And then...
Suffice to say Gone Girl is a film with the capacity to surprise. Things are not always what they seem. Screenwriter Gillian Flynn, working from her own novel, spins a fascinating tale. And in the ever-capable hands of director David Fincher that tale is brought to brilliant cinematic life. This film is captivating from beginning to end, with clever twists and stunning shocks sprinkled throughout. Fincher expertly guides you through a story which goes in directions you never could have expected. It's a story, and a film, with some real intelligence. This is a puzzle which was put together ever so well.
Ben Affleck, playing Nick, provides a solid foundation upon which the film can build. Should we sympathize with this man? Or demonize him? It's an enigmatic character and Affleck does a fine job with it, keeping you guessing until you finally have the information you need to pass judgment on this man. For as good as Affleck is the real standout is Rosamund Pike playing Amy. Amazing indeed. You think Nick is enigmatic? Wait until you get a load of her. She has already gone missing when the movie begins so we meet Amy through flashbacks, seeing the happy start of her relationship with Nick and then the couple's sad spiral as their marriage falters. Ultimately the character of Amy goes to some very interesting places. This is a character who evolves in such a way that it is an extremely challenging role to play. And Pike nails it. An acting tour de force. There are a few key supporting roles, most notably Kim Dickens playing the detective investigating Amy's disappearance, Carrie Coon as Nick's sister and Neil Patrick Harris as a man from Amy's past. But it is Affleck and Pike who must carry the film and each, in their own unique way, proves more than capable of doing so. Their performances draw you into this story, make you emotionally invest in these characters. This is not a film you watch dispassionately, the characters and story grab you in such a way that you feel invested in the outcome. It's a film with thrills and chills, brilliant twists and turns. When the right combination of writer, director and actors comes together you can end up with something quite spectacular. Gone Girl is an example of that. Fascinating throughout this film is one to treasure.