Generally speaking, the conversion of a story from book to movie is not successful one, regardless of it’s fidelity it’s original medium. Gone Girl is the latest work of David Fincher, director of 2010’s The Social Network, and 1999’s Fight Club. Adapted from Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel of the same name, the movie follows Nick Dunne, played by Ben Affleck who is caught in crossfire in the disappearance of his wife, Amy, played by Rosamund Pike.

The short answer is that yes, this movie is a must see. Fincher manages to keep the audience stationed for a sizably long two and a half hours, while maintaining interest the entire time. With Flynn writing the screenplay, you can tell that she made sure to keep the essence of her story intact. That being said, this is certainly a dark, mature movie. While the story is profusely intense and serious, dark humor is scattered about the film quite nicely, never feeling forced. The film boasts is an intelligent story, and expects its audience to be smart too.

While it is undoubtedly long, at two and a half hours, I found myself mesmerized by the somber tones and colors of the film’s cinematics. This is clearly a Fincher movie, full of very dark, thematic styling. Low lighting and cold coloring make the movie a tasteful piece of eye candy. Gone Girl has top-notch editing and is a work of art.

It would be a crime to neglect mentioning the performances, especially that of Pike and Affleck. Affleck convincingly manages to make you root for him one moment, and hate him the next. He perfectly fits his role as a confused and desperate man. However, this is truly Pike’s film. Her performance as “Amazing Amy” is oscar-worthy and sincerely deserves the praise. Actresses Carrie Coon and Kim Dickens deserve mentions as well for their performances as Margo Dunn and detective Rhonda Boney respectively. Each actor and actress was wonderfully cast, with everyone truly giving their best.

Gone Girl is a shining example of another intelligent film from director David Fincher. Never dull, even past the two hour mark, full of excellent performances, with Rosamund Pike easily a contender for the oscars this year. Breath-taking editing and cinematics, along with a wonderful soundtrack from composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross create an subtly disturbing mood to make a truly artistic experience. Gone Girl is possibly the best movie of 2014, sure to make a statement at the Oscars.

9.5/10