Your Burning ‘Gone Girl’ Questions, AnsweredGone Girl is something different to everyone. To many, its one of the decades defining literary hits. Others find it a trashy airport novel. Most seem to agree, however, that David Finchers movie is an effective, noirish adaptation thats equal parts entertaining and complicated. Following the movies buzzy wide release and $38 million opening-weekend grosses, we know everyone has a bevy of questions. Whether youre seen it or not, here are some of your Gone Girl mysteries, solved.Do I need to have read the novel to follow along? Not at all, but know that youll be able to fill in the many details omitted from the film if youve read it. That said, given the books ubiquity, the movie is probably best appreciated among Gone Girl readers who didnt just finish the novel before entering the theater. Give it some time to percolate.But just how different is the movie? Again, theres a laundry list of details, many of them fairly menial, that are absent from the film. Even the ending, which Flynn implied would be different, sticks pretty closely to whats on the page. A few bigger changes (spoilers): Andie doesnt bite Nick in the face, theres no antifreeze, Tommy OHaras story is different and Nick has no memoir planned. Read our full list here.Were Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike the right choices? By what seems like all accounts, yes. Just like his Batman casting, fans were outraged when the now-42-year-old Affleck was announced as the 34-year-old Nick Dunne. With Pike, people cried, Who? (Some hoped Reese Witherspoon, who produced the film, would take on the role of Amy as well.) Afflecks lingering query, for better or worse, is: Can we let go of the actors offstage persona to accept him as a bitter husband widely believed to have murdered his wife? And with Pike, would her lack of household status help or hinder the role? Both worries are instantly assuaged. Affleck carries the right charm to contradict Pikes New York chill. As Nick, Affleck gives what may be the most natural performance of his career, Entertainment Weeklys Chris Nashawaty wrote in his review, a sentiment echoed among most of the films reception. Pikes performance has found a few dissenters, but the British actress has earned mostly effusive praise. Reviews labeled her performance chameleonic, a smashing, award-caliber breakthrough and a study in acting. But wait, who is Rosamund Pike? Where do I know her from? She made her breakout as Bond girl Miranda Frost in 2002s Die Another Day before starring as Jane Bennett in Joe Wrights 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice and as Helen in An Education. And isnt that lady from The Leftovers in it? Thats Carrie Coon, and you should know her name. She played fan-favorite Nora Durst on HBOs The Leftovers this summer, and she commands every scene shes in as Nicks sister, Margo, in Gone Girl.So, do we see Ben Afflecks penis or not? We do. We definitely do. Keep you eyes peeled on a shower scene late in the movie. If youre worried, Vulture has step-by-step instructions for how not to miss it. And if youre paying especially close attention, youll catch a glimpse of Neil Patrick Harris naughty bits as well, during an intimate scene with Amy and his character, Desi Collings. Can Emily Ratajkowski act? The model turned Blurred Lines stars appearance as Andie Hardy, Nicks much younger mistress, isnt very prominent in the movie. Ratajkowski does fine in the role, but lets say she didnt exactly leave us wanting to see more.Is there significance to Tyler Perry playing Tanner Bolt? Not really. Bolt, who is white in Flynns book, gets a fair shake in the screen adaptation of Gone Girl (though his wife, Betsy, is missing from the proceedings). Fincher said seeing the 2012 flop Alex Cross is what prompted him to cast Perry, who recently said he hadnt read the book and didnt even know who David Fincher was upon taking the role. Fortunately, It all works: Perry has been cited as one of the films bright spots.Will it factor into next years Oscar race? In short, yes. But with more than three months to go until the nominations on Jan. 15, 2015, the pulpy movie will have to recapture the longevity that Flynns book quickly found. It seems Flynn herself is the closest thing to a lock, in part because of her celebrity-writer status and in part because Best Adapted Screenplay pits her against fewer heavyweights than most of the other Gone Girl constituents categories. Affleck will likely come up short: Despite rave reviews, hes contending with a vicious Best Actor race. (You try vying against a trendy star playing Alan Turing, another playing Steven Hawking, a Michael Keaton comeback and Steve Carells most dramatic turn yet. Plus, as weve all bemoaned many times, Affleck was denied a Best Director nomination for Argo despite being considered one of 2012s frontrunners.) Count on a mildly safer gamble for Pike, whose Shes a movie star! bells are ringing loudly. Were also likely to see repeat nominations for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, whose previous Oscar nods came for scoring Finchers The Social Network. As for Fincher, its far from a guarantee hell make the shortlist. Hes hit Best Director twice (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Social Network), but his movies never perform all that well come Oscar night. Itll be a tough battle for him to edge out prestige auteurs like Christopher Nolan, Bennett Miller, Paul Thomas Anderson, James Marsh and Mike Leigh, but there may be room for Gone Girl to secure a Best Picture spot as one of the years few awards-worthy blockbusters.Is the cool girl speech still there? Thankfully.How about Nick and Amys cat? Oh yes, Bleecker is a constant presence in the movie. Theres a screenplay book called Save the Cat. Its all about making your character likable, Flynn said at the New York Film Festival press conference held after the premiere. In the first 10 minutes he should do something that makes you like him. I enjoyed that in the first 10 minutes he literally saves the cat.How does it hold up in Finchers canon? You dont need to know anything about Finchers previous movies to decide whether Gone Girl is good, but where would we entertainment journalists be if there werent an auteurs legacy to pick apart? This is one of Finchers pulpier movies, which seems to surprise some people. They must be forgetting that no matter how finely written Flynns novel is, it is still a bombastic thriller with more twists that Auntie Annes. But for all its mainstream appeal, Fincher is still working with a story that harbors his usual themes of death, power and strained relationships. Gone Girl is filmed with the same sepia tones and skewering social critiques that are staples of Finchers films. (Jeff Cronenweth is Finchers director of photography for the fourth time, after Fight Club, The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.) But the movie owes more to its source material than it does to Finchers canon, so lets treat it that way.How great is the Nancy Grace-type character? One of the crowning accomplishments of Gone Girl beyond the gripping mystery is the sentient slap it gives to the medias obsession with good-folks-gone-bad motifs. Nick watches as the national news skewers him as a sociopath and the most hated man in America. Many of those not-so-journalistic labels come from Ellen Abbott, a sleazy TV host who bears obvious resemblance to Nancy Grace. Missi Pyle plays with her with a gusto thats equal parts fun absurdity and distressing realism, especially as we watch the horde of flashbulb-happy reporters stationed outside Nicks home hoping for a glimpse of the elusive man they so desperately want to christen a killer. Transfer this scenario to any number of the accused transgressors whose media circuses becomes part of our temporary national pastime. You probably still know their names, just as the world captured in Gone Girl will always know Amy and Nick Dunne.Does the movie improve after a second viewing? Like the novel (and most things in life), theres nothing like your first time. That doesnt mean it isnt still enjoyable upon repeats, but Finchers movies often play more resiliently when were less desensitized to their twists and stylistic hues (with Seven and Fight Club as arguable exceptions, as those movies are ripe for multiple viewings).By Matthew Jacobs Gone Girl is something different to everyone. To many, its one of the decades defining literary hits. Others find it a trashy airport novel. Most seem to agree, however, that David Finchers movie is an effective, noirish adaptation thats equal parts entertaining and complicated. Following the movies buzzy wide release and $38 million opening-weekend grosses, we know everyone has a bevy of questions. Whether youre seen it or not, here are some of your Gone Girl mysteries, solved.Do I need to have read the novel to follow along? Not at all, but know that youll be able to fill in the many details omitted from the film if youve read it. That said, given the books ubiquity, the movie is probably best appreciated among Gone Girl readers who didnt just finish the novel before entering the theater. Give it some time to percolate.But just how different is the movie? Again, theres a laundry list of details, many of them fairly menial, that are absent from the film. Even the ending, which Flynn implied would be different, sticks pretty closely to whats on the page. A few bigger changes (spoilers): Andie doesnt bite Nick in the face, theres no antifreeze, Tommy OHaras story is different and Nick has no memoir planned. Read our full list here.Were Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike the right choices? By what seems like all accounts, yes. Just like his Batman casting, fans were outraged when the now-42-year-old Affleck was announced as the 34-year-old Nick Dunne. With Pike, people cried, Who? (Some hoped Reese Witherspoon, who produced the film, would take on the role of Amy as well.) Afflecks lingering query, for better or worse, is: Can we let go of the actors offstage persona to accept him as a bitter husband widely believed to have murdered his wife? And with Pike, would her lack of household status help or hinder the role? Both worries are instantly assuaged. Affleck carries the right charm to contradict Pikes New York chill. As Nick, Affleck gives what may be the most natural performance of his career, Entertainment Weeklys Chris Nashawaty wrote in his review, a sentiment echoed among most of the films reception. Pikes performance has found a few dissenters, but the British actress has earned mostly effusive praise. Reviews labeled her performance chameleonic, a smashing, award-caliber breakthrough and a study in acting. But wait, who is Rosamund Pike? Where do I know her from? She made her breakout as Bond girl Miranda Frost in 2002s Die Another Day before starring as Jane Bennett in Joe Wrights 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice and as Helen in An Education. And isnt that lady from The Leftovers in it? Thats Carrie Coon, and you should know her name. She played fan-favorite Nora Durst on HBOs The Leftovers this summer, and she commands every scene shes in as Nicks sister, Margo, in Gone Girl.So, do we see Ben Afflecks penis or not? We do. We definitely do. Keep you eyes peeled on a shower scene late in the movie. If youre worried, Vulture has step-by-step instructions for how not to miss it. And if youre paying especially close attention, youll catch a glimpse of Neil Patrick Harris naughty bits as well, during an intimate scene with Amy and his character, Desi Collings. Can Emily Ratajkowski act? The model turned Blurred Lines stars appearance as Andie Hardy, Nicks much younger mistress, isnt very prominent in the movie. Ratajkowski does fine in the role, but lets say she didnt exactly leave us wanting to see more.Is there significance to Tyler Perry playing Tanner Bolt? Not really. Bolt, who is white in Flynns book, gets a fair shake in the screen adaptation of Gone Girl (though his wife, Betsy, is missing from the proceedings). Fincher said seeing the 2012 flop Alex Cross is what prompted him to cast Perry, who recently said he hadnt read the book and didnt even know who David Fincher was upon taking the role. Fortunately, It all works: Perry has been cited as one of the films bright spots.Will it factor into next years Oscar race? In short, yes. But with more than three months to go until the nominations on Jan. 15, 2015, the pulpy movie will have to recapture the longevity that Flynns book quickly found. It seems Flynn herself is the closest thing to a lock, in part because of her celebrity-writer status and in part because Best Adapted Screenplay pits her against fewer heavyweights than most of the other Gone Girl constituents categories. Affleck will likely come up short: Despite rave reviews, hes contending with a vicious Best Actor race. (You try vying against a trendy star playing Alan Turing, another playing Steven Hawking, a Michael Keaton comeback and Steve Carells most dramatic turn yet. Plus, as weve all bemoaned many times, Affleck was denied a Best Director nomination for Argo despite being considered one of 2012s frontrunners.) Count on a mildly safer gamble for Pike, whose Shes a movie star! bells are ringing loudly. Were also likely to see repeat nominations for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, whose previous Oscar nods came for scoring Finchers The Social Network. As for Fincher, its far from a guarantee hell make the shortlist. Hes hit Best Director twice (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Social Network), but his movies never perform all that well come Oscar night. Itll be a tough battle for him to edge out prestige auteurs like Christopher Nolan, Bennett Miller, Paul Thomas Anderson, James Marsh and Mike Leigh, but there may be room for Gone Girl to secure a Best Picture spot as one of the years few awards-worthy blockbusters.Is the cool girl speech still there? Thankfully.How about Nick and Amys cat? Oh yes, Bleecker is a constant presence in the movie. Theres a screenplay book called Save the Cat. Its all about making your character likable, Flynn said at the New York Film Festival press conference held after the premiere. In the first 10 minutes he should do something that makes you like him. I enjoyed that in the first 10 minutes he literally saves the cat.How does it hold up in Finchers canon? You dont need to know anything about Finchers previous movies to decide whether Gone Girl is good, but where would we entertainment journalists be if there werent an auteurs legacy to pick apart? This is one of Finchers pulpier movies, which seems to surprise some people. They must be forgetting that no matter how finely written Flynns novel is, it is still a bombastic thriller with more twists that Auntie Annes. But for all its mainstream appeal, Fincher is still working with a story that harbors his usual themes of death, power and strained relationships. Gone Girl is filmed with the same sepia tones and skewering social critiques that are staples of Finchers films. (Jeff Cronenweth is Finchers director of photography for the fourth time, after Fight Club, The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.) But the movie owes more to its source material than it does to Finchers canon, so lets treat it that way.How great is the Nancy Grace-type character? One of the crowning accomplishments of Gone Girl beyond the gripping mystery is the sentient slap it gives to the medias obsession with good-folks-gone-bad motifs. Nick watches as the national news skewers him as a sociopath and the most hated man in America. Many of those not-so-journalistic labels come from Ellen Abbott, a sleazy TV host who bears obvious resemblance to Nancy Grace. Missi Pyle plays with her with a gusto thats equal parts fun absurdity and distressing realism, especially as we watch the horde of flashbulb-happy reporters stationed outside Nicks home hoping for a glimpse of the elusive man they so desperately want to christen a killer. Transfer this scenario to any number of the accused transgressors whose media circuses becomes part of our temporary national pastime. You probably still know their names, just as the world captured in Gone Girl will always know Amy and Nick Dunne.Does the movie improve after a second viewing? Like the novel (and most things in life), theres nothing like your first time. That doesnt mean it isnt still enjoyable upon repeats, but Finchers movies often play more resiliently when were less desensitized to their twists and stylistic hues (with Seven and Fight Club as arguable exceptions, as those movies are ripe for multiple viewings). ift.tt/1gB4pon
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 14:24:56 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015