Gone Girl

Despite what you may think of his films, director David Fincher has proven time and time again that he knows how to make a good film. Films like Se7en, Fight Club and Panic Room prove that he can make a tense movie that keeps everyone on their toes. Gone Girl did exactly that. Never before have I felt like I have no idea where this movie is going.

So with this movie being a mystery and all, I can't even begin on the plot. Suffice to say, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), returns home one day to find his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) missing. The film focuses on Nick trying to track her down. We also get flashbacks into their past, everything from when they first met until now.

If you've seen the trailer for this movie or any of Fincher's others, you will know that this movie is going to have its twists and turns. In addition to Fincher's attention to detail with every element of what is on the screen, it also boils down to the script by Gillian Flynn, who also wrote the novel. Her own adaptation is flawless (but then again, it should be).

The casting of this movie was superb. Fincher knows who will be perfect in what role and gets it right every time. Affleck plays the half clueless half smarmy Nick with such believability that I wouldn't be surprised if he drew on his home life. Pike is one of my favourite actresses and her haunting performance has cemented her as one of the best actors working. Affleck and Pike's chemistry (given the roles that they play) is amazing.

The supporting cast is just as good. Carrie Coon as Nick's twin sister is a loveable character. Tyler Perry as Nick's hotshot lawyer is able to keep up with the tense drama and only once does he slip into the comedy he is known for. Neil Patrick Harris was the only weak character who I feel detracted only slightly from the overall plot.

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have been working with Fincher since 2010's The Social Network. Their score for this film is much more understated than the last two and they have gone for a much more ambient style of score rather than the synth heavy soundtracks of The Social Network and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.

Normally Fincher's films have a big opening title sequence. Fight Club showed us the inner workings of the Narrator's brain, Se7en had us looking through a serial killer's library of notebooks and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo had a sequence that belongs in a James Bond movie. But here, it is very understated and I even found myself surprised that the titles came and went very quickly.

Verdict: A haunting mystery from a great director with a near perfect cast. I daresay that this will be nominated for some Oscars, but then again we are getting to the time of year when these movies come out.