Gone Girl

*****
UK Release Date: October 2nd 2014

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 that he may not be innocent.

Director: David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac)

Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Carrie Coon

Every three years or so David Fincher storms the film industry like a hurricane. He's up there with other directing legends like Spielberg and Ridley Scott. From Alien3 all the way to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Fincher thrives on character driven narratives with troubled pasts or psychological burdens. Gone Girl is yet another masterpiece added to his illustrious career.

Lovers of Gillian Flynn's book won't be disappointed in Fincher's adaption. Flynn wrote the script, and like most adaptations there are small differences and very few pieces missing. I didn't have the pleasure of reading the book myself, my fiancée did and said she was happy with the film's outcome.

Ben Affleck's career has been full of highs and lows. Fans and critics alike are ready to pounce on him if his next performance is below their standard. When it comes to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, I say give him a chance. He's proven himself in Argo and The Town, and his acting is superb in Gone Girl.

The opening shot sets the tone uncomfortably, and proceeds like this for the duration. A brilliant close-up of Rosamund Pike's head from Ben Affleck's point-of-view coupled with his inner-monologue ("what are you thinking?", "what have we done to each other?") brandishes married life as a constant journey full of questions and answers we probably don't want to know. Do we fully understand each other? How far are we willing to go to make this work?

When the investigation of Amy Dunne's (Pike) disappearance starts to unfold, all fingers point to her husband Nick (Affleck). The media gets involved and doubts are pressed on Nick. Who do we trust? Nick? The media? Fincher gives nothing over to speculation. Another cause for concern that David raises is our ability to believe consumerism. We are bombarded with news and facts everyday, but is it all gospel? In Nick's case we can never be too sure.

The narrative unravels like chapters in a book. Gone Girl switches between past and present, between Amy's diary entries accounting her thoughts on Nick (and her growing assumption that he's not all he seems) and Nick's inability to deal with the situation at hand. All interior and exterior shots are chock full of grey hues, dark colours and a melancholy ambience, reflecting the tone exceptionally.

When all those questions are finally answered (there are some truly shocking twists), we're left feeling quite damaged, as if our own relationships are at risk. There's little else I can say without spoiling it. Go and see this film. It's not as dark as some of Fincher's previous work, but on the surface it has everything a psychological drama needs; tension and catechisation.