Gone Girl is a crime mystery, directed by David Fincher to a screenplay written by Gillian Flynn, adapted from Flynn's 2012 novel of the same title. The film is well casted, with Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike in the lead, and Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Carrie Coon and Kim Dickens in supporting roles; all do a terrific job.
The first half of Gone Girl is engaging and well-paced. Though one is able to guess the truth behind the mystery, the film contains enough elements to keep the interest high.
I found the revelation at the film's middle part poorly handled – too much is explained by a voiceover, which demonstrates a distrust of the filmmakers in the viewers' intelligence. From there on, the plot limps along to the conclusion, that may be seen as neither here nor there. Yet, the ending can also be taken as a statement along the lines of "each person gets what he or she deserves," and, "karma is a bitch." Still, it leaves the audience somewhat dissatisfied.
What I did appreciate about the film, beyond the decent story and the fine acting, is the commentary it makes about the condition of our society. Though perhapse nothing new, it still drives home the notion of scandal-greedy TV anchors, of people’s thirsty for contact with celebrities, even if those are murder suspects, and of the ease with which the media can maniplate public opinion. These, along with several other noteworthy topics, make Gone Girl an interesting film. Just be warned that a romantic date flick, this movie is not.