Gone
Girl
is a dissection of marriage from the man who gave us Gwyneth Paltrow’s head in
a box; that’s probably the best way to sum up David Fincher’s new film. From
the outset you know this is no straightforward mystery, as Fincher opens the film
with a close up of Rosamund Pike’s head, Ben Affleck, in voiceover, asking the
questions that go through every husband’s mind; “What are you thinking?” “What
have we done to each other?” We’re shown the streets and homes of wealthy
America - huge homes, small minds – before Affleck’s Nick Dunne arrives at the
bar he owns, the small talk with his sister (Carrie Coon) revealing cracks in
his marriage. We cut to the crime scene, which sums up the film as a whole;
what appears clear cut and straightforward is, in truth, far from it. A coffee
table is smashed, but there is no sign of blood, a struggle, or Nick’s wife.
Adapted from the bestselling book by Gillian Flynn (Flynn
also wrote the screenplay), Gone Girl
is a smart, exceptionally complex two-and-a-half hours, putting other big name
thrillers to shame with just how much subtext Fincher wants you to think about:
how the media tries to package speculation as fact; a person’s desire to be
loved, and the despair and desperation someone could resort to so that they
feel loved; the mask we wear when we walk out our front door, compared to our
real face when we’re in the privacy of our home. These are just a small number
of the many subjects that Gone Girl explores.
This is a film that demands more than one viewing.
Fincher has always managed to coax career best
performances out of his cast, and his latest is no exception. Anyone who looks
at Ben Affleck and still thinks of Armageddon
or Pearl Harbor will be stunned by
his portrayal of Nick Dunne. There are two sides to Nick, the innocent man
searching for his wife, naively stumbling through the minefield that is the
media, and the weary husband who, once or twice, has considered killing his
wife. Played by the wrong actor, you could end up hating every minute Nick is
onscreen, but Affleck makes him constantly intriguing. At times, Nick is a
morally loathsome man, but Affleck holds the film together, makes you stick
with him as you try working out what the consequences of his actions will be.
Rosamund Pike also skilfully portrays the two sides of
her character, Amy Dunne. When we’re first introduced to Amy, she’s this
beautiful tomboy who enjoys being rebellious at formal, black tie affairs. Yet
you know there’s something not quite right about Amy from her dialogue, giving
a flawless smile, then saying something that destroys that perfect woman image,
hinting at a sinister, hidden side to her personality.
Neil Patrick Harris makes a brave move, drawing a line through
how fans see him, having played Barney in
How I Met Your Mother for nearly a
decade. As Desi Collings, Harris gives a credible portrayal of a man who still
clings to the idea that his first true love will come back to him. Despite the
wealth and the heated bathroom flooring, Desi is a pathetic, peculiar man in
his longing for Amy. Harris is not on screen as much as other actors in Gone Girl, but he is one of the many
things you will remember about the film.
Carrie Coon is excellent as Nick’s quick-tempered sister,
Margo, who is both incensed by her brother’s behaviour during the police investigation,
but always stands by him, looking after him. Tyler Perry brings some light
relief as defence lawyer to the rich and guilty, Tanner Bolt; smiling and
laughing when it’s least appropriate. Perry’s scenes could have jarred with the
rest of the film, yet the performance he gives is understated rather than scene
stealing over-the-top.
The obsessive Fincher fans will watch Gone Girl and probably criticise it as
being his weakest film, visually. This is far from true. While there’s none of
the tearing up the rulebook that you saw in Se7en
or Fight Club, Fincher does something
far more subtle. With every frame, Fincher recreates the glossy homes and
lifestyles you read about in the weekly magazines – perfect hair, not a spec or
mark on anyone’s clothes – but films in largely muted colours (even sunny days
look pale), giving this cold, detached feel to the visuals. Occasionally
Fincher pulls something out of the bag to make you stop for a second and marvel
at what you are watching. Nick and Amy’s first kiss beside a backstreet bakery,
sugar floating in the air like snow, is a beautiful moment. In contrast, Gone Girl also features this year’s most
violent and nauseous murder scene (you sit through the film wondering why it’s
an 18 certificate… Then you find out!), though, thanks to the lighting and some
fast-paced fade ins/outs, it’s spectacular to watch.
The only complaint you could throw at Gone Girl is the ending. For a two-and-a-half-hour
film, Fincher keeps up the pace for a good two hours before things suddenly
start to flag. The last half-hour feels like it’s winding down, so much so, you
end up wondering why the credits haven’t started rolling? I was waiting for one
last twist, a sting in the tail, but this doesn’t happen. How Nick Dunne ends
up in the film’s finale is bleak and unsettling, but would have had more impact
if the film came to a head, stopping at the right moment instead of trailing
off.
Gone
Girl
is, for most of its running time, a tense thriller with one twist after another,
after another. Not your usual, straightforward twists, but the sort of
mess-with-your-head moments where you have to respect Fincher for putting that up on the screen. Fincher’s latest
isn’t quite up there with The Game, Se7en, or Fight Club, but there’s not much in it; Gone Girl is his best work for a long while, and one of the best
films of 2014.
4 out of 5
Matt
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