David Fincher's "Gone Girl"

Birneybau

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/jul/25/rosamund-pike-gone-girl-david-fincher-ben-affleck

From one of the biggest selling books of the year, David Fincher is directing Gillian Flynn's, to me deeply flawed, novel.

Hopefully he is not too shy with the scissors in adapting it.

Starring the pretty (vacant) Rosmund Pike and the whatever Ben Affleck.

Pity there ain't gonna be an adaptation of "The Girl who played with fire" by the looks of things.

Basq

Always looking forward to something from Fincher..

Birneybau wrote: »

Starring the pretty (vacant) Rosmund Pike .

..but who keeps giving her work? She's awful!

Mr E

Do you not think her constant wide-eyed startled look is endearing?

JP Liz V1

Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams or Emily Blunt would be my choices for Amy

conorhal

Basq wrote: »

Always looking forward to something from Fincher..


..but who keeps giving her work? She's awful!

She is, but I'm reading the book at the moment and when I heard, Ben Afleck and Rosmund Pike were to be cast I went ugh... .
then I got a bit further into the book and thought PERFECT!
My primary description of the two main characters in the book would be, a jock looking douche with a desperate insecure need for people to like him who is bitter at the failure of his once glittering career and now must readjust, and his superficially pretty and friendly wife who is all surface and in fact quite false and cold.

Here I think we have a case where both actors negatives become a positive for the film.

conorhal

conorhal wrote: »

She is, but I'm reading the book at the moment and when I heard, Ben Afleck and Rosmund Pike were to be cast I went ugh... .
then I got a bit further into the book and thought PERFECT!
My primary description of the two main characters in the book would be, a jock looking douche with a desperate insecure need for people to like him who is bitter at the failure of his once glittering career and now must readjust, and his superficially pretty and friendly wife who is all surface and in fact quite false and cold.

Here I think we have a case where both actors negatives become a positive for the film.

You do realise that Affleck's career, has in recent years gone from strength to strength. At this moment it time he's one of the most celebrated filmmakers in Hollywood and recently starred in a Terrence Malick film, hardly the pedigree of a washed up failure.

delbertgrady

conorhal wrote: »

... superficially pretty and friendly wife who is all surface and in fact quite false and cold.

January Jones not available, then?

rossy1044

The book falls apart spectacularly in the second half. It will be interesting to see can the movie avoid doing the same.

conorhal

Deleted User wrote: »

You do realise that Affleck's career, has in recent years gone from strength to strength. At this moment it time he's one of the most celebrated filmmakers in Hollywood and recently starred in a Terrence Malick film, hardly the pedigree of a washed up failure.

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

conorhal

delbertgrady wrote: »

January Jones not available, then?

She would actually be a pretty good choice for that character! These are not likeable people.

speedboatchase

Loved the book but I worry about the Rosamund Pike casting. She was distractingly bad in Jack Reacher.

When I read the book I kept picturing Amy Adams, who I feel could

play the dual role of dream girl (Enchanted) and borderline crazy (her punch-ups in The Fighter).

Apparently Amy Adams will star in Dark Places, an adaptation of an earlier book from the same author. Close enough I guess.

speedboatchase

rossy1044 wrote: »

The book falls apart spectacularly in the second half. It will be interesting to see can the movie avoid doing the same.

The author is writing the screenplay so I would expect minimal changes.

Chareth Cutestory

Gillian Flynn is writing the screenplay? Oh dear, I was hoping that maybe something decent could be made of this book. It's an utterly ludicrous and infuriating story, completely falls apart in the second half. And while the book still had the 'page turner' aspect I can't really see how this is going to be carried over to the film. The characters are complete as*holes. While a film obviously doesn't have to be full of likeable, cuddly, and endearing characters to be enjoyable, I just can't picture myself sitting through 90+ minutes of their dickery!

JP Liz V1

Tyler Perry and Neil Patrick Harris have joined the cast also

Bullseye1

Trent Reznor scoring the movie.
https://mobile.twitter.com/trent_reznor

vepyewwo

Poster



Trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOPLieLQQQs

brevity

Love all things David Fincher but I dunno about that song for the trailer.

fruvai

That shot of Rosamund Pike at the end reminds me of Night of the Hunter:

upstairs for coffee

brevity wrote: »

Love all things David Fincher but I dunno about that song for the trailer.

I think the song is fitting. The song lyric "She may be the reason I survive" just as Affleck is posing by a poster of his missing wife and has a smile on his face.(at 49 seconds)


Zodiac is still top dog though

Sad Professor

I would have preferred the Elvis Costello version but otherwise the song is perfect. You can always tell what marketing materials Fincher has had a hand in.

dark crystal

Never watch trailers because I prefer seeing a film cold, but my oh just watched it there and it seems to give away a massive spoiler (the underwater shot). I'll be furious if it is an actual spoiler as I've really been looking forward to seeing this

mikom

Ben Affleck....... "Gone Girl".
Is this the follow up to "Gone baby gone".....?

rossy1044

mikom wrote: »

Ben Affleck....... "Gone Girl".
Is this the follow up to "Gone baby gone".....?

No but there is book sequel to Gone Baby Gone called Moonlght Mile... Its not great to be honest.

Snake Plisken

Actually looking forward to this! One thing Fincher does right is crime movies, and this strikes me from the trailer to be in the vein of Zodiac and Se7en, which are his best movies, haven't read the book but apparently he has changed the third act, so its different ending from the book!

Rubber_Soul

Second trailer online now. Haven't read the book myself but seems fairly spoilerish so you may want to avoid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym3LB0lOJ0o

Agent Coulson

I have never read the book and this is the first trailer I have seen for the movie.

For some reason I think I already know the ending and outcome of the movie I'm not sure if the trailer gives away to much or the story just seems very weak and obvious.

That alone kind of puts me off this.

Rubber_Soul

Agent Coulson wrote: »

I have never read the book and this is the first trailer I have seen for the movie.

For some reason I think I already know the ending and outcome of the movie I'm not sure if the trailer gives away to much or the story just seems very weak and obvious.

That alone kind of puts me off this.

It definitely does seem pretty spoiler heavy to me (as another that hasn't read the book), I've put a warning in the post just in case others want to avoid.

Colonel Panic

One of the themes of the book is that not everything is what it seems.

Princess Peach

Looking forward to this! Loved the book, and the trailers seem good!

The second one isn't actually that bad for spoilers at all, if they will be true to the book.

Burgo

mikom wrote: »

Ben Affleck....... "Gone Girl".
Is this the follow up to "Gone baby gone".....?

That's originally what I thought when I first heard about it.

Futura font and Trent Reznor, couldn't be anyone but Fincher

cloud493

Oh man this movie looks great oh wait rosamund Pike's in it I'm out.

Snake Plisken

This and Intersteller are the only two movies I'm going to go to see in the cinema this year, looks great! Not sure if I should read the book or not before seeing this?

Jimdagym

I read the book after seeing the first trailer. Loved it. Cant wait for this.

All I will say to people is dont make up your mind on the basis of the trailers. Its a hard one to trailer well.

Snake Plisken

Picked up the book on the kindle for $1.69 yesterday and I'm nearly finished it now great read and a bargain at that price!

Birneybau

For those that have read the book, I really hope Fincher changes the end because it was f'ing awful.

orchidsrpretty

Really looking forwRd to this. Read the book when it was released. Can't 100% remember the ending but can remember being a bit disappointed when finished. Would be a better twist if they changed the ending.

ArthurG

Jimdagym wrote: »

All I will say to people is dont make up your mind on the basis of the trailers. Its a hard one to trailer well.

However you could make your mind up based on the source material (the book), which was woeful!

Snake Plisken

Birneybau wrote: »

For those that have read the book, I really hope Fincher changes the end because it was f'ing awful.

Yeah I got to the end last night waiting for a great ending, but I finished it feeling cheated and asking is that it? Hopefully the 3rd act had been re-written for the movie so hope it's a more satisfactory ending then the book!

JP Liz V1

Pike seems to getting great reviews for her role here, even Oscar talk for her, she could surprise us all

FlyingIrishMan

Got to see this tonight at an advanced screening. It was brilliant, acting was great (though I couldn't see NPH as anything other than Barney from HIMYM). It was definitely a Fincher movie. I think the ending will divide people. I liked it, thought it was fitting but I'd understand any complaints.

Loughc

FlyingIrishMan wrote: »

Got to see this tonight at an advanced screening. It was brilliant, acting was great (though I couldn't see NPH as anything other than Barney from HIMYM). It was definitely a Fincher movie. I think the ending will divide people. I liked it, thought it was fitting but I'd understand any complaints.

I saw it last night myself, it's brilliant!

It's well paced out, flows like the novel. The ending is perfect, it worked for me too. Acting is top notch, Affleck really has a great performance in it. The dark humour in the film is surprisly plentiful and it really works. All around great film, can't say much more until people see it.

9/10

kryogen

Affleck has always had the talent, just made some shocking choices, no worries about him but Pike I will be surprised if her performance doesn't irritate me. I will see it though as Fincher is a director I like and I haven't seen a trailer as I don't want to spoiler it but it sounds interesting enough, not a big cinema goer these days, find there is little worth actually spending the money on but I make an exception now and then

FlyingIrishMan

Loughc wrote: »

I saw it last night myself, it's brilliant!

It's well paced out, flows like the novel. The ending is perfect, it worked for me too. Acting is top notch, Affleck really has a great performance in it. The dark humour in the film is surprisly plentiful and it really works. All around great film, can't say much more until people see it.

9/10

The humour in it was fantastic. I wasn't expecting so much of it either, but it really made me like the film a whole lot more.

Telecaster58

I watched it last night, and didn't know what to make of it. I may have to watch it again.
It is only on reflection that I think perhaps it is better than I first thought. Certain scenes came back to me which helps explain some of the narrative points. Performance-wise, it is very good and there are no bum notes in casting. Fincher as usual does a very professional job. Oddly enough, I came out of Zodiac feeling the same way and that film has really grown on me and rewards repeated viewing

GBXI

Saw it last night as well in the Savoy. Thought it was absolutely brilliant. Had read the end of a couple of critic reviews on rte.ie and entertainment.ie and both only gave it 3/5 stars so I wasn't expecting it to be as good. To be honest, I'm not sure what movie they were watching!

Pike is incredible in it, and the humour is excellent. Flows very well which I hadn't expected. Must read the book, I'd say it's very good.

Sad Professor

It’s awesome. One of Fincher’s best.

If Fight Club was Fincher’s attack on consumerism and alpha-male douchebaggery, then Gone Girl is his attack on marriage and long-term relationships. Although attack might be putting it lightly. It’s more like a hand-grenade, which Fincher lobs with enormous glee.

Ormus

Awful book

johnny_ultimate

Fincher knocked this out of the park.

Gone Girl is put together like a dream. Fincher's by now trademark slick, sombre visual style is put to great use, and capably backed by Reznor's subtle but atmospheric soundtrack work. Each major edit in the film packs not only an aesthetic punch (and that they do, with fantastically effective crash cuts) but narrative ones too. It's a film that feels truly alive and uneasy, keen to keep the viewer paying total attention. It plays with the story's fractured structure, chronological shifts and multiple viewpoints in an immensely satisfying way. It is both serious and ridiculous, funny and probing - a weird hybrid few filmmakers could manage so expertly.

Right from the off - with a cheekily disorientating title sequence with shots that last a glorious couple of microseconds too few - the atmosphere is urgent and unsettled, and doesn't let up,

right through to its admirably (if rushed) cynical conclusion.

Fincher embraces the cruelty and black humour of the tale wholeheartedly (as well as the playfully viscious attacks on the mainstream media, marriage and various other all-American institutions), and the whole thing is simply a deliciously pulpy thriller that's compulsive even when some of the reveals are well signposted (although having not read the book, there's some great surprises). Heck, the sheer skill of the filmmaking and storytelling will likely make a rewatch just as enjoyable. It will surely help that several of the big setpieces are realised with such gusto.

I've said it in a few threads before, but Rosamund Pike is IMO something of a charisma vacuum.

I'd argue that works to Gone Girl's benefit, because her naturally cold demeanour both allows her to be a subtly unconvincing narrator for the first half of the film, and then an utter psychopath in the second. Smart casting.

Basically a joy to watch, and it is a case of a director's style perfectly complementing the material. This could easily have been a mess in less capable hands, but David Fincher makes it his own.

FlashR2D2

GBXI wrote: »

Had read the end of a couple of critic reviews on rte.ie and entertainment.ie and both only gave it 3/5 stars so I wasn't expecting it to be as good..

When I think of Rte and entertainment.ie film critics I think of lots of non offensive colours, a wide eyed floaty feeling, the inside of an empty echoing head and relaxing snoozy snoozy dream time. Ahhhh!

.....You need to find yourself a more serious film critic.

cloud493

Well I loved it. Unmitigated success right there;

Barlett

Bit underwhelmed, but if you've never read the book, the story is quite different from the norm so you will find it interesting.