Terrifying Film; One of the Best of 2014.

Rating: 10/10 (11 September 2015)

David Fincher's films have a certain dark style. You don't have to look much farther than the excellent "The Girl in the Dragon Tattoo" to see that. Here he takes it to another level, bringing us another dark and twisted adaptation with even more attention to the characters.
The film, written by the author of the novel, Gillian Flynn, centers on the relationship between married couple Nick and Amy Dunne (played by Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike.) On their fifth anniversary, Amy goes missing in their little Missouri town. It seems like a normal murder mystery, but there's a twist. Amy happens to be the inspiration for a series of widely successful children's books written by her parents. Thus, the search transforms into a nationwide media frenzy. With Nick acting very strange, he becomes the prime suspect. We begin to learn that Nick and Amy's marriage was not as perfect as it seemed and a series of fun twists push the movie forward at a rapidly increasing pace.
The film hits two major areas spot-on: characters and story. The twists are truly unpredictable and the plot does not feel like something we've seen before. David Fincher's demanding presence is felt both in the aesthetics of the film and in his actors. Affleck and Pike are perfectly cast as the two leads, and Pike is especially exceptional. The film will benefit Affleck in the long run because it shows us once again that he has real acting chops. This guy can do much more than direct great films, and his reputation as a subpar actor is a myth. We are also treated to a slew of excellent supporting characters played convincingly. The stand-outs are the underrated Carrie Coon as Nick's sister Margo, Tyler Perry in a surprisingly delightful performance as Nick's lawyer, and the lead detective in the case played with conviction by Kim Dickens.
The driving force in the film is Nick and Amy's relationship. The movie becomes quite terrifying as the story moves along and more and more information is revealed. With a great script that gives us thrills, excellent dialogue, and even some nice laughs, we reach the end somewhat exhausted, meaning Fincher has done his job well. Viewers will either love or hate the ending, but it's the conclusion the film needs to set itself apart from other Hollywood mysteries. This is one of the best films of 2014.