Skip to main content

Review: Gone Girl

David Fincher is the man. He's hands down my favourite director. Not all of his movies are winners, but he's yet to make a bad film. I like him best in the realm of the gritty crime thriller, preferably with serial killers. So how does his adaptation of Gillian Flynn's missing wife bestseller Gone Girl compare to the likes of Se7en or Zodiac? Stick with me!

With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected he might not be innocent.

First off, Gone Girl is in every way the quintessential David Fincher movie. Every frame oozes the director's trademark style and presence. And while on the surface this might not seem like the kind of tale he usually tells, it's still more Zodiac or even Fight Club than The Social Network.

How so? That damn ending. Yeah, it's not going to blow up everyone's skirt, nor is it the commercial resolution mainstream audiences want, but Fincher doesn't make commercial movies. Nor does he play it safe just because he's making a big studio picture. I get why people are pissed off by it, but I love how fucked up Gone Girl got by the time it played out.

This isn't a typical, edge-of-your-seat thriller. It's a slow burn that takes patience and a viewer who shares Fincher's cynical view of the world. He and I must be related, because I ate this flick up.

Everything worked for me, from the cinematography to the editing and acting. Ben Affleck continues to impress on his path to becoming an actor and filmmaker we can take seriously. As for Gone Girl herself, Rosamund Pike, I loved and hated her at the same time. Well played. Well played.

This isn't the kind of flick you watch again and again. But it's damn near perfect and something to revisit on an annual or semi-annual basis. It's Good.
Labels:

Comments

  1. UnknownMarch 18, 2015 at 8:14 AM

    I read the book long before there were talks of a movie, and I'm glad to hear that it's a decent flick! I'll definitely add it to my list of movies to watch now, for sure.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#CocktailHour: Slushtail

  Summer approaches, inspiring thoughts of sunshine, backyard parties, and having a tip and sip with friends.  With that in mind, I bring you this week sunny beverage. To make a slushtail, mix a can of frozen orange juice, a can of frozen lemonade (or limeade), a can of pineapple juice, a couple cups of black tea (or English Breakfast), and two cups of bourbon- such as Southern Comfort, in a pitcher.  When it's all nicely mixed, put it in the freezer until it's a nice slushy consistency. Scoop the slush into a cocktail glass, and pour in some Sprite or 7-Up.  Add a little umbrella for some frivolous fun, and a straw. Voila!  Ready to enjoy. This is a very refreshing drink.  The fruit juices, Sprite, and bourbon- when chilled makes for a great punch-like drink.  The bourbon doesn't overwhelm juices.   In fact, they are all nicely balanced in terms of flavors.  The sourness of the citrus fruits contrasts well with the slightly sweeter Southern Comfort.  It was refreshing enou
Post a Comment
Read more

Unlock your fate with The Puzzle

When my dad wasn't working, building stuff or being my dad, he was making puzzles. It was a guaranteed way for him to unwind. So it was with great interest that I sat down to watch Italian filmmaker Davide Melini's award-winning short The Puzzle. You see, the mother in the five-minute film likes to relax with puzzles just like my dad. Unfortunately, her good-for-nothing son keeps harassing her for money. Losing herself in her favourite passtime, the mother soon discovers that completing this puzzle might unlock a nightmare. The Puzzle has been an official selection at more European film festivals than you can shake a stick at, and was voted Third Best Italian Film at the Rome International Film Festival in 2008. Having watched it, I'm not surprised. It's a tight little film that hits you hard in the final few seconds. You can tell Melini cut his teeth as an assistant director for legendary Italian filmmaker Dario Argento. But enough chit chat on my part. See if yo
Post a Comment
Read more

The Animated Addict: "The Adventures of Tintin" (2011)

If you're a 40 + white dude, like myself, you may remember a comic series called " The Adventures of Tintin ".  I know I remember them.  This series, dating back to 1929, got turned into a animated feature film by Steven Spielberg in 2011. After buying a model of ship called The Unicorn, teenaged journalist Tintin finds himself on adventure that will take him from the high seas, to the low deserts, and from the distant past to the present.  With his trusty dog, Snowy, by his side, Tintin uncovers a story connecting two men across the centuries.. . The story is really quite good.  It's well crafted, and high paced- with just enough slow moments to build and develop the world and the characters.  This is the sort of adventure story you'd find in the old serials of the 1930's and '40's.  In fact, it felt like it was the sort of tale that you'd find Indiana Jones undertaking.  I found myself swept up, and swept along as our hero swung from one e
Post a Comment
Read more