Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Admittedly, I received a bit of flak recently for my review of The Equalizer where I gave it a meagre one popcorn rating out of five.
I stand by that review, as I felt it was a Taken rip-off and a carbon copy of a whole bunch of recent films. I particularly bemoaned the by-the-numbers ‘female gets kidnapped, badass guy exacts revenge’ plotline and the unwillingness to diverge from the formula.
How refreshing, then, that the latest product to drop off this genre’s production line, Gone Girl, is not only an innovative and risk-taking affair, but a thoroughly superb film in its own right.
An adaption of the bestselling novel by Gillian Flynn, this is an engrossing yarn that centres on Nick Dunne (Affleck) returning home on his fifth wedding anniversary to find his wife Amy (Pike) is missing, with obvious signs of a struggle in the living room.
The case catches the attention of the national media, and under the intense spotlight Nick starts to crack and behave extremely awkwardly, which leads him to being labelled the prime suspect.
Through flashbacks revealed via Amy’s diary, we discover that the two had a fairytale romance and were very much in love when they married. Both extremely successful writers in New York, things began to disintegrate when they faced mutual unemployment as the recession hit and they had to move back to Missouri to care for Nick’s ill mother.
By the time the events of the film take place, things could not be much worse; Nick is lazy, distant and apathetic, while Amy exhibits signs of a mental breakdown and is in deep financial trouble.
The fact that the plot is so intricately woven and packed full of surprises means I am reluctant to reveal much more, but trust me when I say that you will savour every revelation.
Rather than create plot twists for the sake of them, or even worse, have the film plod along before dumping them all on our head at once in an exposition-heavy finale, the shocks and clues are drip-fed to us at tantalising intervals that does an equal job of satiating our hunger for information but keeping us wanting more.
Instead of Affleck donning the typical scowl, displaying superhuman fighting abilities and breaking endless bad guys to find his wife, Gone Girl changes the angle and examines the disappearance in a unique way.
The way the film focuses on the media and how newspapers, talk shows and even the mainstream news twist things to create an intriguing story, and then reflects this scrutiny on its main characters, is fascinating.
For example, during a vigil being held for Amy, a well-wisher approaches Nick to take a ‘selfie’ so she can broadcast her support on social media. His natural instincts take over and he inadvertently smiles for the picture, which is then plastered across the nation’s TV screens with widespread astonishment at how he can smile ‘at a time like this’.
It sums up the modern world in a microcosm; the never-ending celebrity culture, the chase for a minute of fame and how seemingly minor choices can have such major implications. It’s a fantastic social commentary enveloped within an intriguing murder mystery.
Of course, no matter how good the source material is, a film requires strong performances in order to pull it off.
Affleck, despite an unconvincing start to his career, has now developed into a fine actor and he earns his money here, managing to pull off an affable demeanour despite hiding some dark secrets.
Pike steals the show, however, with a knockout performance that might see some award nominations coming her way.
Showcasing one of the broadest emotional spectrums in recent memory, all the way from sickly sweet to borderline psychotic, she encapsulates the downfall of an idealistic marriage.
The only criticism I can direct at the movie is that some of the supporting characters could have been more fleshed out. Although Tyler Perry brings some humour as Nick’s lawyer, he never strays far from the stereotypical, cocky big-time attorney, while Nick’s sister Margo is rather one-dimensional as the champion of his cause.
Still, these are very minor indiscretions when the rest of the movie and the main characters are so engrossing. David Fincher, of The Social Network, Fight Club and personal favourite Se7en fame, adds to his glowing reputation with some stunning direction, particularly with how deftly he meshes flashbacks and the present to reveal the story.
In essence then, Gone Girl is a triumph. It takes a well-trodden genre and puts a fresh spin on it while maintaining the intrigue of its central mystery right until the end. Thoroughly recommended, book your tickets now!
*Showing in Cineco, Seef II, Saar Cineplex
