The Hype
I didn't know much going into Gone Girl, I saw the trailers in the days before and read some very promising reviews, in fact if i didn't fancy myself a film reviewer I may not of seen it opening weekend (or at all in theaters) I went to a noon showing Friday at my local theater, I was surprised to see how many people were filling the seats that early. However 9/10 looked over 50 and that made me think I was in for a light hearted boring flick. I must be intimidating looking because I had some prime real estate in that theater and no one wanted to sit in my row... I knew Gone Girl would be good to an extent, i knew it was a serious movie and i knew it would have some twists but i had no idea what i was really getting into.
The Review
Gone Girl grabbed me from the first moments, I knew I was in for something great. The first thing I noticed was the atmosphere, the cinematography was masterful and the tone was consistent and fitting for the story that was being told. I noticed in the credits that the screenplay was written by Gillian Flynn the author of the novel on which the movie is based. This can go one of two ways, the film can perfectly capture the appeal of the source material because no one truly knows it like the author, or it can be a disaster because not all novelists know how to write for the screen. Fortunately it was the former. The pacing is magnificent, in a movie that is near 2 1/2 hours long you need to keep the audience interested, the movie felt a lot longer than it was but did just enough to hold my attention until the very end, and I still wanted more.
Gone Girl says so much about its characters with subtle moments that other movies would like to spell out to the audience, This is a film with a lot of rewatch value as I feel there are many things you can pick up on with a second viewing. In the first half we a presented with a brilliant contrast between fairy tale like flashbacks and the reality of a missing persons investigation. Although Gone Girl is out to tell a fairly serious story there are all sorts of fantastic (albeit dark) comedic moments spread throughout that are so subtle yet work so well, in no way does it take away from the immersion or drama of the film. The first twist wasn't too shocking in the way that it didn't make anyone gasp but it was very well done and didn't negate anything else in the film. A normal movie would have ended at this point but Gone Girl had a lot more to say. It honestly feels like watching two movies, in a good way.
.jpg)
As I haven't seen Argo and The Town is a blur to me, I had a pretty lukewarm perception of Ben Affleck, at first i thought he was under acting but taking all the twists and turns into account everything was perfect and I have a new found appreciation for him as an actor. Ben Affleck had instant chemistry with the entire supporting cast, especially his sister Margo, for a second i thought it may have been Ben Affleck's real life sister, and I am not exaggerating. Even the supporting cast stood out in a big way. Kim Dickens as the detective was absolutely amazing and added so much to a film that already had everything going for it. Rosamund Pike is outstanding and oh so believable as a damaged woman who thinks her deranged thoughts and actions are normalcy she truly is psychosis and sadism personified, a chilling performance that a truly didn't see coming.
I have not seen Tyler Perry in anything outside of the Madea movies, and I was worried his presence would immediately take me out of the movie that had worked so hard to immerse me, This was almost the polar opposite of the result, especially with my low expectations I was simply blown away by his performance and now sincerely respect him as an actor. I had the same concern, to a lesser extent, for Neil Patrick Harris as i'm so use to seeing him in a comedic role, Thankfully he had a small(but crucial) role and there were only a few moments where his inner goofiness shined through. Gone Girl succeeds because it doesn't try to follow any type of formula or copy anything before it, it's out to accomplish great story telling and nothing else.
We have seen countless graphic murders and violence in films, but in one of my favorite scenes the film presents it in such a way that it has an effect quite like nothing else, the atmosphere and music combined with the surprise of the event make for a truly jarring and surreal piece of cinema that is sure to stay with you long after the credits roll. I do although have a few gripes with the film, however minor they may be, I really hate when a character in a story is suppose to "look like shit" when he or she still appears to be a million dollar celebrity who just walked out of makeup. Also the ending was quite frustrating and left a lot to be desired, you never get to see the bad guy get their comeuppance and it ALMOST warrants a sequel. I''m a guy who loves to complain, especially about movies, so when my only two nit-picky remarks are an old Hollywood trope and a not so happy ending, then you know a great film has been made.
The Verdict
An instant classic one of the best movies of the decade and i would recommend it to anyone and everyone
9.2/10