On the day of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) returns home to find that his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike), is missing. Soon after the media frenzy begins, evidence mounts that Nick murdered her, and his awkward behavior is interpreted as that of a Sociopath.
Nick and Amy's marriage has disintegrated; both of them lost their jobs in the recession and moved from New York City to Missouri after Nick's mother was diagnosed with cancer. Nick has since become lazy, distant, and unfaithful. Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) and Officer Jim Gilpin (Patrick Fugit) uncover evidence indicating financial troubles and domestic disputes, a report indicating Amy wanted to purchase a gun, and poorly concealed evidence of a struggle.
The only one that is standing by Nick is his twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon). As the evidence mounts providing motive, Nick is charged with Amy's murder, and he hires slick defense lawyer Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry)
I have not read the book but those that have say that the film stays true to the source material--Flynn is credited with writing the adapted screenplay--which helps. Like his best thrillers, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Zodiac, Panic Room and Se7en--Fincher lets everything simmer for a long time, before anything pays off. As an audience member--you are drawn in almost immediately so that your attention never gets diverted. I know that some have complained that the film ends rather abruptly. To that I would say while that is true it in no way diminishes the film and anything that came before it.
I know that Aflleck has had great success directing and all that but his performance here is...WOW! One minute you feel empathy for Nick and the next you think what a scumbag! His turn here has me even a bit more jazzed to see what he does as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Zack Snyder's upcoming superhero team-up film called "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" come March 25th 2016. As great as Ben is Pike is just as great playing a very complex character with many layers that get peeled back. Fincher made the right choice in casting Pike.
The supporting cast is first rate too. The film boasts one of the best overall ensembles I have seen in a movie for quite some tine. Screen Actors Guild nomination anyone? Perry plays out of his comfort zone once again but with better results than Alex Cross afforded him. Future OSCAR host and former How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris is also out of his comfort zone as Desi Collins a former boyfriend of Amy's NPH needs to get more meaty film work...Dickens and Fugit have nice cop chemistry while Coon and Affleck worked well off each other acting as siblings would. Model/actress Emily Ratajkowski, who appeared in singer Robin Thicke's controversial music video Blurred Lines is Andie, the college-age mistress of Affleck’s also does nice work.
Gone Girl marks another home rum for Fincher who must juggle a lot of plot in this film--and yet manages to make a hard job seem easy.
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