Gone Girl: A Brilliant Book and Film Noir

*No Spoilers*

Book Author: Gillian Flynn

Film Director: David Fincher

Film Screenplay: Gillian Flynn

Gillian Flynn, you brilliant, brilliant writer!

First of all, I have to say it was just such an immense pleasure to read the book. On the top of that, I am so glad that Flynn was able to negotiate the screenplay writing for herself and Fincher and she worked this out as cohesively as they have. Usually, comparing a movie to its book is a bad idea. Very rarely (I only have one example), comparing a book to the movie is regretted. Though, this one does not disappoint. Moreover, I feel pretty satisfied having read the book and seen the movie and getting to comment on both because job well done, you, Gillian Flynn, you!

The book may not be delicious when you begin reading, but really, you have to see what she's doing. When you picked up the book from the Mystery/Thriller section, and *hopefully* read the preview, you know the basic plot is that Amy disappears. Then, when you begin reading the book, I find it particularly interesting how Flynn sets the scene in anecdotes, morning time, event of the day, which sets our mind thinking of places, reasons, possibilities and motive already. It tickles our imagination and curiosity all the more. It could have been Amy's dissatisfaction with the place, or with the ambiguity their marriage was running into, or finding misery in a life ruined by recession; ANYTHING! All said and done, it's nothing you don't want to read. It's written well, too. In all probability, if you're wondering where she's going with this, it's in a good way.

The trailer is cryptic and I still cannot decide if I like it. I could not make anything out of the trailer. There's just a lot happening. Please visit the website, then. I shall be surprised if you tell me you don't love it. It's fresh and informative. It got me excited.

Quick word about the score of the film. IMDb says Fincher's directives to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross was that he wants the music to seem passive and relaxing but really, should instill a sense of dread. It did. For me, it was this close to becoming a horror movie closer to real life than so many jokes in the name of horror movies.

Let's jump right in, now.

The book and movie are absolutely gripping. Even when the mystery begins to unfold, it's not over till it's over. Flynn fills details in her book and gives each character, depth, rationale and each situation has intricate layers. She does not hold back and cuts portions of her book such that the movie makes for a gripping watch. While, some insightful details are left out, they don't compromise on the intensity and riddle of the plot. Impressive. It would not really be nitpicking, though, when I argue that some nuances to the character, especially Amy, are lost in this cut-down of the book for screenplay. The whole 'cool girl' explanation, logical reasoning behind Amy's actions, her temptation to go back, and comparison between Desi and Nick make everything so much more fascinating. I am aware of the gender-based criticism and I'm not getting into all that. Taking Amy as a person, I think she had psychopathic tendencies and the fact that there was a convincing logic behind it intrigues me, albeit the logic is ruined by her extremities and the caveat of having Nick's narrative giving her away. Without all of this, the film still gets you glued to the screen but Amy emerges as different from that in the book; here, she isn't so much of a psychotic woman. She's just what Nick says she is- fucking bitch. There are no layers, no genius intellect to Amy outside of her almost-impeccable planning and no probable root of cause for the viewer to come up with for her behaviour (which the film does show to be a pattern). Rosamund Pike nails it, though. You can like her as fast as you can hate her as fast as you can feel scared of her as fast as you can feel robbed of closure. Woah!

Nick Dunne gets away with more sympathy from his viewer/reader than he really should. He's a lying, and cheating man. America hates him for it in the book/movie but admit it, in the flow of the plot, you lost that perspective; I did too. I don't mind that one bit. His helplessness, his adorable relationship with his twin sister, his heart on his sleeve as he falls in love with missing Amy, cares for Andie but not so much so we can think he's not all that bad- works. I feel sorry that him, I do, but when the book ends I can't be sure about whether I see him as the victim or an equal culprit or what! Ben Affleck does a fabulous job as Nick Dunne. He's got the young, single, cute, charming act going for him. His stress, mess-ups, and that smile that messes things up on Ellen Abbott's show.

Madam Ellen Abbott. I understand everything about how media influences public opinion in the film/book, how certain media persons like to be activists or campaigners of a side, how they have a fan base of a following of sorts but I don't see how Ellen Abbott gets to be a part of the ending of the movie. I liked the book's ending much better. Not that does much, but featuring Ellen Abbott and giving Nick so many lines of conversation with her is like recollecting how amazing school life was and then ending with "Thank God! I met that xyz person on the admission interview panel!" Seriously, what? That's a bad way to draw a close when the book already has a better closing. All the other lawyer, media issues were covered smoothly and satisfactorily so.

Police. I really like how they were trying to find out the truth but really, sometimes, it was almost like they had chosen a side. Was it the right side or the good side or the bad side? You don't know that but you may even like them for it. They're not a nuisance. Amusingly though, their vantage points often oscillate from being influenced by the media coverage, to being the source of media coverage that provokes explosive reactions. Sometimes, they're also just sitting ducks -watching things cropping and thinking what on earth, really! With this, I know that Flynn is giving me so many perspectives as an observer who is right in on the scene, but never lets me know what the truth is until she decides that it is time to let me know.

Parents. I like how they've been included in the book but excluded in the movie. Simply because some bits may add to the plot or character's essence but sometimes, their mention looks pretty pointless. I wished she cut a lot more out. Surprisingly though, Amy's character in the book is often nuanced by the impressions and affects her parents brought to her life but really, it's all cut out and her parents are reduced to mere props in the movie. I wonder why it was so considering the screen space and time given to the pair.

Go, Margo. She can be the little sister, the twin sister, the conscience, the voice of reason, and just a needed presence for Nick Dunne. I think the character is very well done in the book and the movie. I like Carrie Coon but I also wonder if she was just the perfect one to cast. The role was memorable but the acting did not quite bring a strong hold of the plot in the movie which is otherwise demanded by the character in the book and readily given, too.

Desi Collings was an unexpected character. Again, it does not get much time to unfold in the movie so we really just put it all on Amy (I wouldn't mind if you did that in the book, too, but my point is that his character in the book shows you that there's more). So he comes in as the unexpected character in the book as much as he does in the  movie and there's a difference but everything being so interconnected, it does not make anything less interesting. Neil Patrick Harris surprised me. When he turns away from Nick, somehow he fits the role perfectly. Then with what happens later, he simply shows me that he is not trying to fit into the role. Instead, the role ends up looking like it is made for him. The grandeur of that, huh! I can now easily see him doing what Desi does in the book, too. He can do it all, bring it!

In closing, I can only mention that I read this book in a day and a half and I would not have taken the extra half, had it not been one hundred per cent necessary. I watched this movie in one go. No breaks. None. You want to let Gillian Flynn take you for this ride and you won't have the time to criticize much because neither does she leave many loose ends, nor do you have space to find those because you want answers, and you want them first.

Tell me what you thought of the movie or the book!