David Fincher's "Gone Girl"

Into The Blue · 21-10-2014 3:05pm

conorhal wrote: »

Well, yeah, but I'm only half way through the book. My point being (as it is in the book), perceptions and expectctations change.......

Yeah right!!!

mrsdewinter · 22-10-2014 1:00am

Saw the movie almost two weeks ago, and loved it so much that I had to read the book.
I think the movie is better than the book, which is a terrific read in itself. It tightens up a lot of the bits that drag without losing too much characterisation. (Oh, apart from Nick's father - it's not giving anything away to say that the book explores more fully the parallels between Nick and the man he hates.)
I'm glad I saw the movie first, though. It was such a trip not knowing how it would end, even if it veered into gothic camp with a plot that didn't stand up to too much scrutiny by the end.

Cartman78 · 22-10-2014 9:56am

For anyone struggling a bit (like myself) to process this one, I'd recommend listening to the recent episodes of either Filmspotting or /Filmcast podcasts

Greenmachine · 22-10-2014 1:40pm

Really enjoyed this one.

although it was obvious she was setting him up. I wondered about the original motivation for her, turning sour on her exs

more to follow not sure I have applied spoiler tags properly.

tunguska · 22-10-2014 5:23pm

Saw it at the weekend and I thought it was only ok. Given that it was a david fincher film it was a bit disappointing. Way too many false endings, it should've ended 20 minutes before it actually did.
In comparison to Zodiac and The girl with the dragon tatoo, this is a step backwards for Fincher.

Tipsy McSwagger · 22-10-2014 6:08pm

I thought it was better than TGWTDT but nowhere near as good as Zodiac.

Adamantium · 27-10-2014 2:33am

This was a masterpiece. Dark, funny, and had much to say like Fight Club, about society, media witchhunts, the ills of feminism.

Thank jeebus we get a films like this from someone like Fincher every so often to remind us someone, somewhere will never stopping making classics no matter what the era. He does

His direction and the cinematography is hnnnnnngggg! He seems what to know what to do/show and exactly what not to do/show

Tyler Perry was very, very good, I don't think that's been mentioned yet. I was thinking the whole time I wondered how much pressure and takes Fincher put Affleck under because he's frankly unreal (destroys the notion that he was ever a bad actor), as is everybody. Christ even the font for the subtitle cards and credits made me nod.

And there is one hell of an iconic performance here that will be remembered for the future.

And if it wasn't the last showing, I would have went back straight back to watch it again.

Dirty Dingus McGee · 27-10-2014 10:20pm

I'm looking forward to watching this.

I loved the book as well as Flynn's other 2 books and I thought both main characters were hateful fcukers.

Flynn has been accused of misogyny for this and her other books

but if anything she's exactly the opposite

.As

she portrays women as having the potential to be just as evil as men whereas in most films and books they're generally portrayed as helpless innocent victims

I didn't see the twist coming at all and

I thought the plot overall was excellent.

Earthhorse · 28-10-2014 5:46pm

Very atmospheric, as you'd expect from Fincher, with some performances I can't quite make my mind up about, but overall I thought it was just a bit too silly for me to take it seriously.

BrokenHero · 28-10-2014 6:25pm

Earthhorse wrote: »

Very atmospheric, as you'd expect from Fincher, with some performances I can't quite make my mind up about, but overall I thought it was just a bit too silly for me to take it seriously.

Indeed and if evidence of that were needed, it's when we see Pike's character

slit her ex's throat in bed

and the audience laughs. Seen it twice now and the audience at both found that bit funny.

The biggest shock horror gasp (again by both audiences) was when Affleck pushed Pike's head up against the bedroom partition and we hear a thud. This shows us how overall the violence in this film was not being taken all that serious and I think that is the film's ultimate failing: some of the laughs were looked for in the wrong places, thereby undermining some of the character's actions.

A good film, but just to many cheap outs taken to make it anywhere near the masterpiece some have suggested it is.

Sad Professor · 28-10-2014 6:48pm

The film plays mainly as black comedy. It’s not meant to be taken seriously anymore than Fight Club was.

Earthhorse · 28-10-2014 10:21pm

There are certainly dark comic moments in the movie but I wouldn't say it plays mainly as a black comedy. It's a thriller with some social commentary thrown in for good measure.

BrokenHero · 29-10-2014 12:36am

Sad Professor wrote: »

The film plays mainly as black comedy. It's not meant to be taken seriously anymore than Fight Club was.

Fight Club was seamless in it's darkly comic theme. This film however, jumps from being as serious a thriller as Fatal Attraction was, to suddenly having violent scenes which are darkly comedic. This takes the viewer right out of the film, as it's far too disjointed. Not that I am of the opinion that comedic moments can't have a place in a violent thriller. Of course they can. Sea of Love is a good example of that but I don't think you can have both serious thriller aspects to a film and then show the violence in darkly comic fashion.

I think, had the tone of the violent scenes been somewhat straighter, then it would have been a far better film for me. As it was though, they just undermined the rest of the film as a knock on effect.

2ndcoming · 30-10-2014 12:57am

BrokenHero wrote: »

Indeed and if evidence of that were needed, it's when we see Pike's character slit her ex's throat in bed and the audience laughs. Seen it twice now and the audience at both found that bit funny.

I'm just back from watching it and I didn't notice that at all. I thought that scene was intensely and graphically shot and if I was in a room full of people who find **** like that funny I certainly wouldn't look sideways at anyone on the way out! I think if anything your mistaking people finding it funny for nervous laughter.

31-10-2014 1:04am

2ndcoming wrote: »

I'm just back from watching it and I didn't notice that at all. I thought that scene was intensely and graphically shot and if I was in a room full of people who find **** like that funny I certainly wouldn't look sideways at anyone on the way out! I think if anything your mistaking people finding it funny for nervous laughter.

There was an audible gasp when I saw it

31-10-2014 8:16pm

I finally got to see this last night, as someone who is a Fincher fan and hadn't read the book (same way I went to see Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) and I came away disappointed.

Technically I thought it was a good film and I liked the performances from Affleck and Pike and the supporting cast, but the premise and story just left me cold. If one was to start pulling at strings in Amy's story, it would unravel in no time at all and I felt the characters who were strong and smart at the beginning of the movie had grown 'dumber' (for want of a better word) by the end to fit the resolution/conclusion.

The conclusion definitely killed the movie for me. I am not usually a viewer who needs everything wrapped up in a box of closure, but after what transpired in the previous 2.5 hours I felt a much more definite resolution was needed.

The only technical aspect that I feel was lacking was the score. For me, this was the least effective work Reznor and Ross have done with Fincher so far.

All the above said, the movie did feature some great moments and ideas. I loved the relationship themes explored in the movie and the look at how we all wear different masks in different situations in our lives and present ourselves as someone we totally aren't more often than not; the person who we ideally see ourselves in our minds rather than the person we actually are.

I could write lots more on my thoughts on Gone Girl, but I think I'm gonna just leave it a few months and then give it a 2nd watch.

Disappointed overall, but will give it another shot in the near future.

biko · 09-11-2014 9:44pm

Just back and really liked it. The ending is a bit unusual for an american film.

nervous_twitch · 10-11-2014 3:39pm

I thought this was awful. Absolutely all over the place.

Glebee · 16-11-2014 7:29pm

Just saw this last night in the cinema. Good film but I thought it would never end. I honestly had no idea what time it was when the film was over. I don't know if it was because I was engrossed in the film or not. It does suck you in though. Worth a look alright 8/10.

Charlie19 · 17-11-2014 2:50am

I thought it was brilliant even though the ending could've been a bit better.

Just as I realized what was going on, I remember thinking to myself that I'm watching a

modern day Single White Female, Basic Instinct or Fatal Attraction type of movie

. Probably didn't spoilers:)

The silence in the cinema after it ended was strange, the audience had that wtf did I just witness look.

Aidric · 01-12-2014 4:28pm

Went to the cinema last night to finally catch this. I haven't read the book but Fincher is a very talented director and so I went with high expectations.

A lot of people commenting on the running time but I never found it dragged at any point, pacing was spot on imo. There was clever commentary on the reactionary cheap media we live with these days, similar to Cronenberg's commentary on the Hollywood dream in Maps to the Stars, both wrapped up in dark comedy. There was a creepy and uncomfortable honesty to the screenplay, held together by tight direction and some top grade acting from Affleck and Pike. In the hands of a less gifted Director it could have descended in to farce.

All in all a tight engaging thriller but not Fincher's best.

GreNoLi · 11-12-2014 4:31pm

'Octopus and scrabble?'

Heckler · 12-12-2014 4:09am

Too long. Waiting for it to end after an hour and a half. Absolutely no way her story would stand up to any police scrutiny.

dark crystal · 13-12-2014 1:46am

Man, I was really loving this film until the ludicrous plotholes at the end took me right out of it. Inspector Clouseau could have worked out that

Amy's story was utter BS.

I don't mind some suspension of disbelief, if the film handles it well, but it was as if no attempt whatsoever was made to credit the viewer with any intelligence. I hate that.

Also, not sure where the black comedy aspect comes into it. It was a thriller, with some moments of satirical social commentary thrown in for good measure, not a satire with a bit of murder thrown in (see To Die For).

I really wanted to love this film and for a while, I did. That last 20 minutes, though.... damn!

Hyzepher · 30-12-2014 1:31pm

The utter ridiculousness of her story was the point Fincher was making. Up to that point she was america's sweetheart, victim of a brutal husband, who himself was almost convicted by media. Once she surfaces with an incredible story - somewhat backed up by a crazy stalker, text-book rape signs and in-house video footage that she staged - the FBI/Police were going to run a mile from this.

Bad enough being seen as getting the initial investigation wrong - potentially getting wrapped up in a media frenzy by accusing the wife and maybe getting that wrong as well would, in real-life, be too much for the FBI.

I was hoping for a clever ending that would reveal all to the police but it never came and that was initially hard to swallow, but the more I think about the story, the more the ending was perfect. Two people who were trapped in a marriage took two separate routes to try and escape, but all they managed to do was get further trapped with a massive spotlight shining directly on them

Frank O. Pinion · 30-12-2014 11:45pm

I loved it, right up until the ending. I just didn't want her to get away with it. But even more than that, if it was me in that situation at the end, no way would I sleep in the same house as that woman for one night, never mind weeks. I don't care that he slept in a locked room with his pussy cat, she was a crazy murderer. Who could feel safe around her, eat the food she cooks for you, etc.?

Soft Falling Rain · 03-01-2015 11:44pm

Brilliantly acted with a unique and interesting story. Pike in particular deserves all the plaudits she gets. Affleck also deserves credit for playing an unbelievable dick who you can't help but feel sorry for.

I had a feeling though that the film would have people in uproar over the portrayal of women and sure enough that's what I found when I Googled it. What a shame that Flynn's brilliant work has to be tainted by such hysteria over what is basically a black comedy. It's particularly amazing given Dunne's sister and the detective were both positive portrayals of women yet that seems lost in the quest for people to be offended.

Tipsy McSwagger · 04-01-2015 12:21am

Hyzepher wrote: »

The utter ridiculousness of her story was the point Fincher was making. Up to that point she was america's sweetheart, victim of a brutal husband, who himself was almost convicted by media. Once she surfaces with an incredible story - somewhat backed up by a crazy stalker, text-book rape signs and in-house video footage that she staged - the FBI/Police were going to run a mile from this.

Bad enough being seen as getting the initial investigation wrong - potentially getting wrapped up in a media frenzy by accusing the wife and maybe getting that wrong as well would, in real-life, be too much for the FBI.

I was hoping for a clever ending that would reveal all to the police but it never came and that was initially hard to swallow, but the more I think about the story, the more the ending was perfect. Two people who were trapped in a marriage took two separate routes to try and escape, but all they managed to do was get further trapped with a massive spotlight shining directly on them

Exactly, there can't be a typical Hollywood ending because that means Afflecks character who was a horrible bastard would have won. The only person I felt sorry for was

the guy she accused of raping her.

_Whimsical_ · 04-01-2015 1:25am

I wasn't a fan of it. I hadn't read the book but I felt that after the reveal of what had happened to Amy it started to feel silly and I was waiting for it to wrap up. I found the plot line wasn't clever enough too, you could've poked several holes in the story. It was a real "suspend your disbelief" one for me. From the point when

she was robbed in the motel I had a sneaking suspicion what was coming next and I wondered if it would end up with poor Dougie Howser dead

What I did like was the atmosphere of the film and I thought her performance was pretty good.

Also there were some very lazy clangers in it too that irked me and ate away at the plausibility of it,

one being when Amy arrived back covered from head to toe in blood after a clearly brutally violent attack and yet her hair was immaculate, as if she'd stopped for a wash and blow dry on the way, no blood in it, not one strand out of place, yet no one questioned it,it was even broadcast on tv. If she was smart enough to go to the lengths she did she'd surely have messed up her hair and someone would have noticed it was perfect and been very suss of her if she turned up as she did.

Also

him getting straight into the shower naked with her... what the hell like ?

Son0vagun · 05-01-2015 8:33am

Absolutely ingrossed by it! Did feel a little let down by the ending, but I guess the sequel will clear all that up.

Bacchus · 05-01-2015 9:48am

Are spoilers still needed for this? There's nothing in the thread title but this is out ages now.... spoilers ahead....

Saw this before Christmas. Loved it. It was a great Saturday night thriller/mystery. The reveal of what happened to Amy was really well done I thought and shifted the movie quite dramatically. The later twist though (staging it all as the ex kidnapping her) was very obvious the moment he mentioned the cameras and made it clear he was holding her there. It was still great viewing though and the direction & music throughout really kept the tension going.

Affleck was excellent as the apathetic husband Nick. It was really engaging and you're just willing him to stop being his own worst enemy. That this apathy revealing itself to the public was part of Amy's plan too made it all the better.

Pike was a fantastic psycho, really unnerving and you felt genuinely afraid for any man that falls into her web. I can't remember the last female antagonist that chilled me like she did. Nick locking the door at the end, mirroring her lies in the diary was a perfect ending to the movie... the horror for Nick goes on and will live on through their child. That is a true living hell.

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Also there were some very lazy clangers in it too that irked me and ate away at the plausibility of it,
one being when Amy arrived back covered from head to toe in blood after a clearly brutally violent attack and yet her hair was immaculate, as if she'd stopped for a wash and blow dry on the way, no blood in it, not one strand out of place, yet no one questioned it,it was even broadcast on tv. If she was smart enough to go to the lengths she did she'd surely have messed up her hair and someone would have noticed it was perfect and been very suss of her if she turned up as she did.

But that wasn't staged. That's how she looked after he killed him, which was part of her story to the cops. It didn't look immaculate, it was a bit messed up but we saw during the murder that blood didn't splatter on her face so there's no real reason that she would feel the need to bloody it up a bit. Of all the things that are suspect in her story, she did not make up where the blood splashed on her.

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Also
him getting straight into the shower naked with her... what the hell like ?

He was afraid of her and what she was capable of. It was the only way she was going to give him an answer as she wanted to be sure it was not recorded.

Brief_Lives · 26-01-2015 12:23pm

Just watched the movie last night... excellent movie.. really enjoyed it...
Some smart casting, Even Emily Ratajkowski seems to be a decent actress... and not just hot..

Adamantium · 26-01-2015 2:02pm

Bacchus wrote: »

Are spoilers still needed for this? There's nothing in the thread title but this is out ages now.... spoilers ahead....

Saw this before Christmas. Loved it. It was a great Saturday night thriller/mystery. The reveal of what happened to Amy was really well done I thought and shifted the movie quite dramatically. The later twist though (staging it all as the ex kidnapping her) was very obvious the moment he mentioned the cameras and made it clear he was holding her there. It was still great viewing though and the direction & music throughout really kept the tension going.
Affleck was excellent as the apathetic husband Nick. It was really engaging and you're just willing him to stop being his own worst enemy. That this apathy revealing itself to the public was part of Amy's plan too made it all the better.

Pike was a fantastic psycho, really unnerving and you felt genuinely afraid for any man that falls into her web. I can't remember the last female antagonist that chilled me like she did. Nick locking the door at the end, mirroring her lies in the diary was a perfect ending to the movie... the horror for Nick goes on and will live on through their child. That is a true living hell.

When the police are questioning her in the hospital, she's asked about the weapon by the female police officer and she feigns weakness "Oh I think I'm fading again..." I actually shouted fcuk off in the cinema pretty viscerally (not too loud tho). I had completely forgotten I was surrounded by friends, but it got a big laugh. I've never wanted a film character to be served justice so badly
The whole montage had me smiling.

I love films like this that can't really be defined too narrowly. It does feel like the kind of adult film that Stanley Kubrick would have made and have everyone leaving the cinema uncomfortable, rattled and awed, and that is the greatest compliment I can give Fincher and his team. It tears into the hypocrisy of modern society, the utterly ludicrous TV and media coverage of the western world.

SimonTemplar · 03-02-2015 12:05pm

That press conference scene near the beginning of the movie was comic genius.

e_e · 05-02-2015 10:35pm

Really want to listen to to the commentary now.

cloud493 · 05-02-2015 11:02pm

I bought the blu ray today, its an 18. Also comes with an amazing amy book.

IvaBigWun · 05-02-2015 11:04pm

e_e wrote: »

Really want to listen to to the commentary now.

Fincher probably gives the best DVD commentaries Ive heard.

Dirty Dingus McGee · 14-03-2015 11:03am

Watched the film last night.Really excellent film and on the same level as the book. Sometimes I am worried that watching a film version of a book I love might spoil it but this lived up to the book and they got it absolutely spot on.The casting of all the major characters was excellent and I loved the really faded and dull colour scheme that was used in film.

This is the first time I've seen either Tyler Perry or Neil Patrick Harris in a film (except for his role as Bart Simpson in Blood on the Blackboard) and they were both excellent in it.Harris is extremely creepy as Desi.

David Fincher's "Gone Girl"

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