Gone Girl
First screened in October 2014 / Most recently screened in December 2022
Director: David Fincher. Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, Tyler Perry, Missi Pyle, Sela Ward, Emily Ratajkowski, Lisa Banes, David Clennon, Patrick Fugit, Lola Kirke, Boyd Holbrook, Casey Wilson, Scoot McNairy, Leonard Kelly-Young, Kathleen Rose Perkins. Screenplay: Gillian Flynn (based on her novel).

 Twitter Capsule: Broad strokes. Snide tone. Bold to amp up the comedy, but did everyone get the memo? Paced like someone's double-parked.

Second Capsule: I admire tonal risks a bit more on second pass but still feel locomotive tempo of dense story erodes insight, enjoyment.

VOR: ④  Granting some benefit of the doubt here because the film has stirred so much discourse, parts of it quite provocative. I wonder, though, how much staying power this really has.


   
Photo © 2014 20th Century Fox
Still plays like David Fincher woke up on some days feeling persuaded by this material and committed to it, and on others flooded by uncertainty or disdain, which he couches in a fitful veneer of "satire." Whereas Gillian Flynn's script, just like her novel, seems nothing if not constantly, plottily proud of itself, even if some of her schemes are patently shakier than others. Which is to say, half-in, half-out Fincher and machiavellian, murder-obsessed Flynn give better performances as Nick and Amy, bound in a glossy but dysfunctional union, than Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike do. And those two still fare better than several of their colleagues in the cast, many of whom needed surer, more attentive direction, whereas others were up a creek at the moment of grievous miscasting.

The two best moments both belong to Tyler Perry: pelting Affleck with Gummi bears until he seems visibly annoyed, and chortling at Nick and the absent Amy for being the two most fucked up people he's ever met. Love when the recruit everybody questioned is the one who comes out smelling best! Grade: C

(in October 2014: C–)
Academy Award Nominations:
Best Actress: Rosamund Pike

Golden Globe Nominations:
Best Director: David Fincher
Best Actress (Drama): Rosamund Pike
Best Screenplay: Gillian Flynn
Best Original Score: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Other Awards:
Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Adapted Screenplay
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