The cool girl walks past you at a party. She is flawless, graceful, and effervescent. A whirlwind romance begins, and the two of you get married years later. But, five years later, you’re stuck in a loveless marriage in your hometown with a failing bar to your name. Suddenly, life is flipped upside down as your wife goes missing in broad daylight. This is the setup for Nick & Amy Dunne’s love story in the New York Times bestselling book turned critically successful film Gone Girl. Anybody who claims to know me knows that this is my favorite movie of all time. It was an introduction to the complex storytelling of murder mysteries. The screenplay, written by the original author Gillian Flynn, rarely strays from the source material to great effect. Diverting away from her novel would have compromised the integrity of the story being told. Who better understands the plot and characters better than the person who came up with them?

While Rosamund Pike was the only one of the cast to be recognized by the Academy, Ben Affleck and Carrie Coon both hold their own as Nick and Margo, respectively. I would even go as far as to say that it is one of Afflecks best performances to date. The murderess husband part looks good on him. 

Nick and Amy Dunne. Picture perfect. They are a golden couple. The pair live their lives day to day in a small Missouri town. While the two originally met in New York City, Nick’s mother gets sick, and they uproot their lives to help care for her. Years move by, and soon the couple finds themselves confronted with their 5th wedding anniversary. But today is different. Today, Amy has gone missing in the early morning light. The scene at the house showcases a terrible struggle, and the police begin to piece it all together, with Nick becoming the prime suspect. Mounting clues and infectious guilt begin to catch up with Nick as the investigation draws on longer and longer. He tries to find ways to clear his name, and a new mystery is opened up…

Trent Reznor, an original member of Nine Inch Nails,  and Atticus Ross composed the immaculate score. The two have two Academy Awards under their belt for the films The Social Network and Soul. Both of those are well deserved, specifically Soul, who they co-composed with Jon Batiste. The song “Epiphany” is a perfect demonstration of their immense talent. But, back to Gone Girl! Their techno-style score adds to the sleek aesthetic, making the atmosphere of the film feel more claustrophobic and tight. It is one I often enjoy listening to while reading a good book! Truly adds to the whole experience!

This movie was a revelation and opened up so many new interests. The way it encourages you to root for utterly terrible characters greatly impacted my 15-year-old brain. How I now perceive storytelling now was altered because of the film! I love the mystery genre as a whole now. I truly owe it to the incredibly well-executed screenplay and story. I cannot give this film any more praise. Now, have a great rest of your day, and maybe don’t keep secrets from your spouses! Just a thought!