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Steel Notes Magazine
Ben Affleck’s demeanor, reads and smells like the infamous real-life murder case involving
Scott Peterson, right down to the pregnancy factor. Only writer Flynn and director David Fincher
store some grisly surprises th at will take your breath away. I cannot say more for fear of spoiling
but those who have read the book, you know what to expect. All I can say is do not expect to see
a corpse.
Speaking of Scott Peterson and that equally grisly and profoundly disturbing media story, I
recently revisited an interview Diane Sawyer had with Scott and the comparison with Affleck is
uncanny – Affleck acts and looks like Scott Peterson to a tee (including in interviews). Nick
Dunne is the performance of Affleck’s career and the purposeful lack of an emotional center
makes him more human than he first appears. Once you consider the numerous twists in the
narrative, you will understand his indifference in hindsight. As for Rosamund Pike, she delivers
a scorchingly eccentric performance that will make you nervous, shocked, befuddled and
downright exhausted. You are never too sure what to make of Amy and her alleged
disappearance, and the minute details are revealed through her diary in voice-over and exacting
flashbacks.
If I have a bone to pick, it is that “Gone Girl” has flashes of character-oriented details and
nuances yet scant insight into one of its main characters. Without revealing the twists, you still
wonder why one specific character behaves the way they do – motivation takes a backseat.
Despite that, “Gone Girl” is an entrancing, blood-curlingly fierce suspense thriller, one of
Fincher’s very best mainstream flicks since his underrated “Panic Room” with a fantastic
supporting cast (especially, in atypical roles, Tyler Perry as a cynical attorney and Neil Patrick
Harris as Amy’s wealthy ex-lover). “Gone Girl” is consistently watchable and unpredictable,
showcasing a marriage that is not what it seems leading to a touch of fatalism that will keep you
up at night. It is a swift, intricately layered, sensational thriller that requires strict attention.
Prepare to squirm throughout.
Steel Notes Magazine
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