NYFF 2014 Gone GirlPosted by Wilson Morales
As the opening night film of the 52nd New York Film Festival and based on Gillian Flynn’s own adaptation of her best-selling novel, David Fincher’s “Gone Girl’ is an exciting thriller and mystery highlighted by a captivated performance by Rosamund Pike. Adding to the mix are the exceptional performances by the ensemble, including Tyler Perry. Is this film filled with several red herrings, the audience is perfectly kept, unless you’ve read the book, in trying to solve this case of whether everyone is on the up and up.
Set in the Mideastern area of the US, Ben Affleck plays Nick Dunne, who comes home to find that his house has been broken into and his wife Amy (Pike) suddenly missing. With his twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon) and Amy’s parents, Amy’s disappearance gets nationwide coverage. Leading the investigation is Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens), who with her partner Officer James Gilpin (Patrick Fugit), doesn’t buy Nick’s alibi and immediately he’s involved in some foul play. When looking into his background, it seems that not all was as good on the surface with his marriage as he’s claiming otherwise.
As piles of evidence start to make him the number one suspect, in comes celebrity lawyer Tanner Bolt (Perry) to help with the case. Just when Nick starts to feel at ease and that charges will be dropped, his mistress (Emily Ratajkowski) decided to talk to the media, making Nick a pilar of the community. With his back against the wall, a turn of events may either vindicate him or send him to jail.
Having directed Seven, Zodiac and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Fincher is no stranger to handling dark material and with Gone Girl he masterfully teases the audience by showing two perspectives to keep us from learning the outcome. While Ben Affleck is adequate in his role, it’s really Pike and the supporting cast that excel with their performances. Not since Sharon Stone’s turn in Basic Instinct has a woman brought a star-making performance in a thriller such as this and Pike changed her game to another level. Also surprising was Tyler Perry as the lawyer. Best known for his directing and starring roles as Madea, Perry proved that he can hold your attention without wearing a wig and a skirt. Besides Perry, Carrie Coon and Kim Dickens also gave in the best work. This is a thriller that not only is riveting and stunning, but it will spark debates amongst couples as to the outcome.
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