Amy Dunne is far from amazing. She lives a life of mediocrity with her unassuming husband, Nick, before vanishing, leaving only a trail of scavenger hunt letters for their fifth anniversary.
“Gone Girl, based on the novel by Gillian Flynn, is not for weak stomachs, hearts or minds.
It dangles moments of relief and comfort only to violently tear them away minutes, sometimes seconds, later. With every new cringe-worthy development within this film’s downward spiral, hope fades for the protagonist, whomever it may be at the time.
The trailers for “Gone Girl” are as elaborate as they are deceptive. Yes, it is about a man’s missing wife, but as those who have read the book know, the story takes a trip into the darkest corners of the human psyche.
And then it tries to make the viewer giggle at those same corners.
At times, “Gone Girl” manages to be uncomfortably comedic. Some of the most tense moods are lifted by the subtle actions of the outrageous characters. It is hard not to smile sometimes, even when situations are grim.
Characters are colorful to the point of being off-the-wall. This over-the-top feeling they instill is only the beginning of a long fall, filled to the brim with emotional distress. Each new person introduced brings with them a good reason to raise an eyebrow.
It is not possible to go into complete detail about Rosamund Pike’s portrayal of Amy Dunne without giving away crucial details. That being said, she shines.
At the beginning, much of the story is told from the deeply-jaded words of her diary. From a young age, Amy is forced into the shadow of a fictional doppelganger, created by her parents to sell their book series, “Amazing Amy.” This sets the tone for the movie in a troubling fashion.
Ben Affleck portrays Nick Dunne, Amy’s lethargic husband who takes center stage for most of the film.
Affleck does not stray far from his expected persona, but, for the first time in years, fulfills his role with tremendous success. Despite often being the victim of typecasting, he finds a home in the shoes of Nick Dunne.
The most inspiring moments of the film happen when Nick and his twin sister, Margo Dunne, portrayed by Carrie Coon, interact. Whether they are on good or bad terms, the relationship feels authentic and gives the viewer something to root for in a story that obliterates the line between good and evil.
There were two roles that, at first glance, felt out-of-place and awkward but eventually found a way to fit. These are the parts of long-lost former lover, Desi Collings, portrayed by Neil Patrick Harris, and Nick’s lawyer, Tanner Bolt, portrayed by Tyler Perry. Both prove to be quirky additions to to the chaos.
In terms of the movie’s relation to the book, Flynn also wrote the screenplay, allowing for a smoother adaptation without the artistic limits often given to other novels-turned-movies.
The movie clocks in at two hours and 25 minutes. It feels long. However, the length takes nothing away from the experience, as the watcher is constantly dragged down the rabbit hole with game-changing plot twists every 10-15 minutes.
“Gone Girl” has the potential to completely re-vamp the suspense genre. The unsettling layers of dark humor, mixed with a lethal dose of psychological horror, defy cliches and give birth to a new form of twisted tale.
“Gone Girl” is currently playing at Cinemark Theatres in Chico.
Jake Hutchison can be reached at [email protected] or @poserpunk on Twitter.
