Last night I went with two friends to see the movie "Gone Girl." I read the book two years ago (you can re-read that review here) and I just knew it would be adapted for the big screen. Turns out, Reese Witherspoon's production company got the rights to make it.
Now, before I dive into my thoughts on the movie, two things:
1. If you live in the Boston area and haven't had a chance to check out Assembly Row in Somerville, you need to go. Not only do they have a great movie theater with reclining leather seats (at half the price of the Super Lux), but they've recently opened a ton of new restaurants and outlet shops.
2. SPOILER ALERT! Over the years, several of you have left comments saying you hate when I give away plot twists without any warning, so, we have a new practice here at Pop.Bop.Shop. When I say "Spoiler Alert" if you don't want to know anything more, please stop reading.
Ok, onto the review!
In this film version, Ben Affleck plays Nick and Rosamund Pike plays his lethal wife, Amy. When I first heard Ben was taking this role, I was disappointed. He was nothing like the image I had of Nick in my head after reading the book. Now, having seen the movie, I am still disappointed. At no point did I feel emotionally connected or sympathize with Nick.
Rosamund Pike, a lesser known actress, may have just had her breakthrough role. As Amy, she was every bit as evil as the character was in the book. Though I must say, the manipulation and violence was much harder to swallow seeing it right before your eyes than it was imagining it while reading. The final scene between her and her high school boyfriend, Desi, was brutal.
Carrie Coon, who plays Nick's sister Margo, also had a star moment. She was the perfect mix of Nick's protector and his reality check. She had one of the strongest performances.
I also loved Tyler Perry as Nick's defense attorney, Tanner Bolt. It was nice to see Perry in front of the camera again!
Two of the local cops in the investigation are played by Kim Dickens (Friday Night Lights, Treme, Sons of Anarchy) and Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous). They are a great duo and highly amusing together on screen.
Another perfect pairing - David Clennon and Lisa Banes - the actors who play Amy's parents. I hated them in the book and that still rang true in the movie.
I was concerned that the film adaptation would cut some of my favorite parts in the book (it was quite a long book), but since the author, Gillian Flynn, also wrote the screenplay, it was practically a replica.
Flynn's script, along with director David Fincher's visual storytelling, combined to form the best possible adaptation. Sadly, nothing can resolve the poor ending of the book (and now the movie). You still leave feeling disturbed and dissatisfied.
Did you see "Gone Girl" this weekend? What did you think?
