Fincher and Pike make this dark marital thriller one of the year's sharpest watches.
Verdict tier Recommended, most critics liked it, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
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Critic consensus
Critical reception for Gone Girl is largely positive, with most reviewers recommending it as a gripping, well-crafted thriller. Critics most frequently praised the direction of David Fincher, Gillian Flynn's screenplay, and Rosamund Pike's performance, with several noting the film's effective layering of mystery, marriage commentary, and dark comedy. Common criticisms include the film falling short of greatness, insufficient depth given to its two protagonists, and an overly convenient resolution; one critic also singled out a mishandled key monologue from the source novel.
3 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 14 critic reviews · may contain errors
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Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
Despite having read and thoroughly enjoyed the book already, I found Fincher's film gripping and handsomely mounted, and still packing a few nice surprises. Gone Girl doesn't have the enduring appeal of one of my favorite Fincher films, 'The Social Network', but it's a bloody good way to spend two and a half hours of your time. I'm going with four out of five. Don't miss it.
Top critic
Film review ·
For, if there are two sides to every story, few are held as dear as in a marriage — both of which the book perfectly understood. The problem always was going to be how to translate its gradual transitions as well as unexpected twists onto the big screen. In that, Flynn, also the screenwriter, couldn't have asked for a better director than David Fincher, the clever exponent of tense relationships, misogynist protagonists, orchestrated violence, and people living double lives (Se7en, Fight Club, The Social Network, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo).
Top critic
Film review ·
Even if you have figured out the mystery, nothing will prepare you for the way the solution to the mystery presents itself. It's a brutal deconstruction of imperfect marriages, and the nature for longing, togetherness and eventual hatred in the contemporary world. Surprisingly, the film plays out like a black comedy, even in the face of stunning violence, misogyny and misandry.
Top critic
Film review ·
For those who have read the book, all you really need to know is that Fincher criminally sucks the life out of the 'Cool Girl' monologue. For the rest, this is a solid mystery film that falls short of greatness. In a nutshell, to quote Nick's magazine-writerly complaint about Amy's diary, it rests on too convenient an endnote.
Film review ·
David Fincher and screenwriter Gillian Flynn (on whose novel the movie is based) have hit the bulls-eye.
Film review ·
Gone Girl proves to be an engaging work of cinematic art that, despite its flaws, has enough drama (as a matter of fact, it's too dramatic at times) and suspense to offer to its viewers. Gone Girl is not Fincher's best film, but, nevertheless, it's a worthy addition to his oeuvre.
Film review ·
It might sound a tad cheesy, but how can you miss a David Fincher film? Do we seriously need a reason here? Based on the global bestseller by Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl is the perfect thriller you are craving for. Watch it for Rosamund Pike's impeccable performance. Enough said.
Film review ·
The film belongs to Gillian Flynn, David Fincher and Rosamund Pike. It takes an old-fashioned murder-mystery tale and transforms it into a new-age classic that deserves multiple viewings to fully appreciate its brilliance. If there's only one film that you'll watch in the next one year, let it be this one. This is one film that shouldn't be missed at any cost. As if that wasn't apparent already.
Film review ·
A plot like this that involves mystery and a lot more is not easy to adapt, besides, the story is not just a mystery, there are many more layers like relationships, media trials and Fincher has managed to bring them to the fore admirably. Gone Girl is a highly satisfying experience.
Film review ·
Flaws and all, it still definitely is the Hollywood movie of the week. Go watch it!
Film review ·
It's engaging and twisted in ways you wouldn't imagine but leaves you wishing that there were so much more to it. Gone Girl is conceptually a combination of a lot of marriages around but let it not deter you from the institution. That doesn't mean you shouldn't check under the pillow at night.
Film review ·
Gone Girl will hold your attention for its lengthy running time, but whether you'll laugh it off as chauvinistic pulp or be haunted by it depends on how much the idea of an intelligent woman scares you. If this film is any indication, she's the stuff of Fincher's nightmares.
Film review ·
Gone Girl has none of the moral ambiguity and depth that these two characters demand. In fact, we see little of them or know little of them. Will she stay gone? Will Nick get the death penalty in Missouri? Towards the climax, I somehow lost interest about the film as a whodunnit, caught as I was, with Fincher's supreme cleverness in crafting a story without telling you much about his two protagonists apparently so gone in their heart and mind.
Film review ·
A curious take on the mystery of marriage that is entertaining and exploratory at the same time...
From our readers
21 ratings · user score 7.6
You will be discussing the movie for several hours after. You will regret you didn't read the book first and all your friends have. You will just wish not to have a person like one of those few main characters (of the movie) in your life. But, most essentially, you will hope YOU don't become like one of those. That is how dark and stimulating David Fincher's latest thriller Gone Girl is. It primarily shows how far we, as human beings have reached. Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), a jobless writer finds one morning that his over-indulgent wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) is missing. The motor starts making noise just after that, as skeletons start falling from the cupboard, from the heater, from inside the bed, from the warehouse, from a jar in the kitchen, from the tiny nail cavity. Soon we learn what marriage can do to people, if not handled properly. It reminded me of several fictional stories which say that the tiniest matters the most. Imagine the wife Amy as an evolved version of YOURSELF. With few doses of insanity, discipline, and sociopathy. It throws light at the ranges of sanity and insanity in the world, all at the same time. You may not feel for the characters much after what they do to themselves, but it does become sumptuous food for thought for us. Would you be able to carry out any similar things like those shown in the film? Perhaps not. Gillian Flynn has written a contemporary story about marriage, delusion, and sweet (or bitter) revenge. Fincher has added the right ingredients in the adaptation, and I am truly impressed with Trent Reznor's score. At the same time, he has missed certain points; the result being a whole different recipe. Gone Girl falls in black comedy genre, which disappoints me. Yeah, add humor, lots of it, but when its proportion surpasses that of the main theme, things go wrong. The book is equally comic if not more, but it never mixed, the hard and soft. I am in awe with Ben Affleck. His air is fabulous and now I cannot think of any other actor for the role. From that smile in the trailers to his nuanced actions - they all so blend nicely with the story, oh, I cannot stop praising him and helping him chafe the highly earned prejudice off. Rosamund Pike is the showstopper. She is perfect as Amazing Amy. Her eyes spoke all that Flynn might have wanted to convey through the silver. Perry and Harris both are good. Carrie Coon is better. The score makes you want more, but I am upset they didn't use any track except BOC's "The Reaper"; the screenplay may not be the best but it suited. Fincher directs his cast brilliantly. The art department has to be lauded for creating a gleam ambiance that fits with the plot. Overall, the film has been handled averagely well with respect to the book. BOTTOM LINE: May not be THE film of the year, but definitely the thriller of the year. A person MUST watch the film and indulge in the character's insanity, for it will be a difficult affair to experience it in real life.
Credits
Ben AffleckNick Dunne
Rosamund PikeAmy Elliott-Dunne
Neil Patrick HarrisDesi Collings
Tyler PerryTanner Bolt
Kirk Baxter
Emily RatajkowskiAndie FitzgeraldEnglish films like Gone Girl
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