‘What have we done to each other?’
I watched and reviewed David Fincher’s neo-noir nightmare, Gone Girl, upon release back in 2014 and I hated it. But over the years, despite never having watched it again until now, the film had gotten under my skin. I found myself returning to Rosamund Pike’s performance, her chemistry with Ben Affleck, the strange structure of the film…When asked to bring a movie to the table for a podcast episode on The Last Seduction, another neo-noir film with an unforgettable femme fatale, I knew this was my opportunity to give Gone Girl another chance. Dear reader, as ever, I got it very wrong first time around…
Nick Dunne (Affleck), a failed writer, returns home one day to find his wife, Amy (Pike), missing in what appears to be a home abduction case. When the bellwether of public opinion begins to swing against him, Nick enlists the help of his twin sister, Margo (Carrie Coon), and an experienced attorney, Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry). The supporting cast is rounded out by Kim Dickens and Patrick Fugit as a pair of detectives, as well as Emily Ratajkowski as Nick’s mistress and student.
My main issue with Gone Girl on first viewing was its implausibility. It’s melodrama. I now understand that it is following in the tradition of films like Basic Instinct and Fatal Attraction. It’s supposed to be silly. It’s supposed to be bombastic. This time I loved it. I loved it for Pike’s genuinely astonishing performance (she was deservedly nominated for an Oscar). I loved it for Affleck’s increasingly beleaguered turn in the main role. I loved it for its morally complex characters. It’s audacious and often shocking plotting. I loved how prescient the film has become now that cancel culture and the court of public opinion have the power to win elections and start wars. I loved Jeff Cronenweth’s sickly brown and yellow cinematography. I adored the score from long-time Fincher collaborators Trent Reznor and Atticus Finch. In fact, the only thing that I didn’t love was the casting and performance of Neil Patrick Harris. He arrives at a crucial juncture in the film, is horribly miscast, and the whole film suffers as a result. Perry, another actor more known for his comedic roles, was a similarly risky choice, and while he is excellent, lightning absolutely does not strike twice with Patrick Harris. What a shame.
Aside from that misstep, however, I can now see that Gone Girl is bravura filmmaking. To date, it’s also Fincher’s last truly great film. Here’s hoping he still has something left in the tank (his Once Upon a Time in Hollywood spin-off is due to land sometime in 2026), but if this is to be his swansong, it’s a hell of a way to sign off.
