From the original theatrical review:
In a wise move that pays dividends in the finished product, Flynn herself was tapped to write the adaptation, stripping the story down to its most important elements while still maintaining the frequent juxtaposition between Nick and Amy’s conflicting points of view. While some purists will complain that the film lacks much of the novel’s nuance and subtleties, it’s hard to find fault with a screenplay that was written by the author of the source material, particularly when the results are so impressive.
Fincher’s involvement is another necessary cog in the machine, as even with Flynn’s screenplay this film could easily have fallen apart in the hands of a lesser talent. Never one to shy away from the darker side of humanity, Fincher obviously feels right at home playing in this sandbox and exploring the terrible things that a once-loving couple can do to each other in times of duress. This also marks Fincher’s third collaboration with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, whose original score once again perfectly complements the visuals by accentuating, but never overpowering, the onscreen proceedings.
But even with all these elements in place, Gone Girl still wouldn’t work without being anchored by absolutely stellar performances across the board. Pike is at her career best, particularly in the film’s second half, and should find herself positioned as a major contender for this year’s award season. Affleck is no slouch either, being tasked with a lot of the weightier moments and nailing them like a seasoned pro. Affleck expertly plays up Nick’s winning smile and boyish charm, but there’s also an almost uncontrollable rage bubbling just beneath the surface, and his portrayal should give those Batman v Superman detractors plenty to reconsider.
As with most releases from 20th Century Fox, the audio and video quality on the Gone Girl Blu-ray is absolutely superb. But the special features are sorely lacking: there are no trailers, no deleted scenes, no featurettes. The lone offering is a commentary from director David Fincher, an amusing track that shows off the director’s wry sense of humor, but offers little in the way of technical analysis. There’s also a children’s book featuring Amazing Amy, but this is more of a novelty than anything else.
Gone Girl was one of my favorite films of 2014, and while I enjoyed revisiting it again in the comfort of my living room, I had hoped for a little more from the home video release. Perhaps, like most of Fincher’s films, we’ll be treated to a fully-loaded edition somewhere down the road. But in the meantime, this will have to do.
ben affleck brent hankins reviews david fincher gone girl rosamund pike