What makes a film good or bad? Well, that could be determined through quite a number of criteria. From basic cinematic elements to the enjoyment aroused by such a picture, to the ideas and themes that a film provokes. Now, we have films that are definitively good and bad based on those criteria, correct? Well, often, it isn't as clear cut. There are good films that have glaring flaws, and bad films with redeeming features. Some of my favorite films have flaws Now, my style of reviewing revolves around pointing out these benefits and drawbacks. Most films are conducive to this style of reviewing, as there is no such thing as a perfect film, merely one with less than noticeable, or subjective flaws. Perhaps no films exemplifies this than Gone Girl, one of the most frustrating experiences I have ever had watching a film. Not because it was terrible, but rather it had the potential to be great, but elements bogged it down, resulting in a film I can't love, but I can't hate.
There was so much potential in this, but potential doesn't equal satisfaction.
Based on the 2012 novel by Gillian Flynn, and directed by David Fincher (of Fight Club and The Social Network fame), the film starts with Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), a married bar owner, who finds his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike) had mysteriously vanished one day whilst returning from said bar. They had moved to Nick's home state of Missouri due to Nick losing his job as a journalist. At first, there is an outpouring of sympathy, primarily due to Amy being an inspiration for a series of popular children's books. However, the police, primarily Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) and Officer Jim Gilpin (Patrick Fugit), are suspicious of Nick, and slowly evidence begins to amount indicting him. Intercut with this is narration from Amy's diary, detailing the blossoms of first love slowly declining into abuse, and potential murder. Soon, the media turns on Nick, and he finds himself the subject of an investigation for Amy's murder. However, all is not what it seems, as twists to the story begin fudge the true details of the murder...
Goods things: the direction and cinematography is fantastic. It is shot beautifully. It has the intensity a story like this requires. The acting (except for Ben Affleck) is very well done. The satire on the nature of crime culture, and of how the media tends to over exaggerate details about cases, and jump to erroneous conclusions. The story, at times, can be very brilliant. The major twist in the story is handled well. This is a major spoiler for the film, so I will black the text out in case you don't want to read it: It turns out that Amy had, in fact, faked her own death, after she had found out that Nick had cheated on her with a far younger woman. She framed her own murder in vengeance, and promptly flee. This twist is unexpected, makes sense in the context of the film, and actually invests your interest in how the story will proceed after that, as most twists do. Where they do go with it...
Honestly, the story should have been re-written one or two times before they filmed the final product, because the script, particularly the second half of the film, is full of useless scenes, and at the very end, completely loses momentum. More spoilers: At first, Amy settles with a group of rednecks, but two steal her money, forcing her to return to her old boyfriend Desi Collings (Neil Patrick Harris). Meanwhile, Nick and his sister (the bar's co-owner) Margo (Carrie Coon) find out about Amy's subterfuge, and with the help of celebrity attorney Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry) try to expose her lie. After Nick makes an impassioned plea to his wife on national television, Amy decides to kill Collings (I didn't quite get why even after this) and returns to her husband, where upon they decide to hold mutual respect for each other (despite Nick's misgivings)(I think), and have a child, whilst they have their celebrity status. Nick ends bemused and defeated. . Honestly, after She returns, the film just loses steam completely. If it had ended there, I probably would have said this was a good film with minor flaws. However, it just keeps going and going. It becomes redundant, and you just want it to end. If I were to rewrite this, I would write it like this: Nick ends up arrested and convicted of the crime, and is sentenced to death row. After that scene, the film ends with the reveal that she faked her death.. I don't know if that would have actually improved the film, but that's what I would have preferred. Still I did think the ending was handled. I did want it to end on a dark note, and it ultimately did. Minor pet peeves included a lackluster opening credits (seriously, the credits just pop in and out), and it is filmed at times, like a TV movie built for film (the fact that book writer and screenwriter Gillian Flynn was a television critic perhaps plays into this.
It's hard for me to quite muster a recommendation for this film. It is a good thriller, and it did keep me intrigued for most of its running time. So, if you want to see that, I suppose this would be good film. It certainly attract a certain crowd who enjoys these sorts of stories, so I suppose they might like this, but maybe not the ending. Once again, this film had a lot of potential, and a lot of good elements, but sadly didn't maintain these qualities. I give the film a solid 50%. Thank you for reading.
There was so much potential in this, but potential doesn't equal satisfaction.
Based on the 2012 novel by Gillian Flynn, and directed by David Fincher (of Fight Club and The Social Network fame), the film starts with Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), a married bar owner, who finds his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike) had mysteriously vanished one day whilst returning from said bar. They had moved to Nick's home state of Missouri due to Nick losing his job as a journalist. At first, there is an outpouring of sympathy, primarily due to Amy being an inspiration for a series of popular children's books. However, the police, primarily Detective Rhonda Boney (Kim Dickens) and Officer Jim Gilpin (Patrick Fugit), are suspicious of Nick, and slowly evidence begins to amount indicting him. Intercut with this is narration from Amy's diary, detailing the blossoms of first love slowly declining into abuse, and potential murder. Soon, the media turns on Nick, and he finds himself the subject of an investigation for Amy's murder. However, all is not what it seems, as twists to the story begin fudge the true details of the murder...
Goods things: the direction and cinematography is fantastic. It is shot beautifully. It has the intensity a story like this requires. The acting (except for Ben Affleck) is very well done. The satire on the nature of crime culture, and of how the media tends to over exaggerate details about cases, and jump to erroneous conclusions. The story, at times, can be very brilliant. The major twist in the story is handled well. This is a major spoiler for the film, so I will black the text out in case you don't want to read it: It turns out that Amy had, in fact, faked her own death, after she had found out that Nick had cheated on her with a far younger woman. She framed her own murder in vengeance, and promptly flee. This twist is unexpected, makes sense in the context of the film, and actually invests your interest in how the story will proceed after that, as most twists do. Where they do go with it...
Honestly, the story should have been re-written one or two times before they filmed the final product, because the script, particularly the second half of the film, is full of useless scenes, and at the very end, completely loses momentum. More spoilers: At first, Amy settles with a group of rednecks, but two steal her money, forcing her to return to her old boyfriend Desi Collings (Neil Patrick Harris). Meanwhile, Nick and his sister (the bar's co-owner) Margo (Carrie Coon) find out about Amy's subterfuge, and with the help of celebrity attorney Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry) try to expose her lie. After Nick makes an impassioned plea to his wife on national television, Amy decides to kill Collings (I didn't quite get why even after this) and returns to her husband, where upon they decide to hold mutual respect for each other (despite Nick's misgivings)(I think), and have a child, whilst they have their celebrity status. Nick ends bemused and defeated. . Honestly, after She returns, the film just loses steam completely. If it had ended there, I probably would have said this was a good film with minor flaws. However, it just keeps going and going. It becomes redundant, and you just want it to end. If I were to rewrite this, I would write it like this: Nick ends up arrested and convicted of the crime, and is sentenced to death row. After that scene, the film ends with the reveal that she faked her death.. I don't know if that would have actually improved the film, but that's what I would have preferred. Still I did think the ending was handled. I did want it to end on a dark note, and it ultimately did. Minor pet peeves included a lackluster opening credits (seriously, the credits just pop in and out), and it is filmed at times, like a TV movie built for film (the fact that book writer and screenwriter Gillian Flynn was a television critic perhaps plays into this.
It's hard for me to quite muster a recommendation for this film. It is a good thriller, and it did keep me intrigued for most of its running time. So, if you want to see that, I suppose this would be good film. It certainly attract a certain crowd who enjoys these sorts of stories, so I suppose they might like this, but maybe not the ending. Once again, this film had a lot of potential, and a lot of good elements, but sadly didn't maintain these qualities. I give the film a solid 50%. Thank you for reading.
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