We fell for the hype of this long awaited  film  made as an  adaptation  of a  popular book  by the same name.  We  went to a 3 o’clock matinee with a theater full of other movie goers. After all, it was touted as the “Film of the Year!”

Since the film is a crime mystery and action film ,I don’t want to spoil the plot for future theater goers. The director is David Fincher who  directed “Girl with the Dragon Tatoo” very successfully.  The leads are Rosamund Pike  who is a spectacular, if distant blonde, and Ben Affleck.  For my taste, I thought Affleck was very strong, believable and the stronger character.  The film was entertaining without a doubt:  film of the year?, with that hype,  I have several doubts.

Besides the story of Gone Girl, there are two other perspectives, I found interesting.   One is both characters, who happen to be married to each other, reveal their thoughts on the state of  modern marriage.  Flincher weaves both of their perspectives into the story all the way through.  He is quite the story teller.

The other and quite major  character is the media.  Talk about personification. . . it takes on a voice and personality that permeates the film.  The media is ever present 24/7 in the midst of this family and personal  tragedy.  There are two women journalists who  are thinly veiled  but recognizable  as Nancy Grace with her tenacious story following and a gentler, but equally  persistent Diane Sawyer.   With our often prurient demand for Breaking News, some of the  blame must be placed at our feet, the viewers!

I have had “Gone Girl” on my Kindle since the last trip to India, but it remains unread.  I did hear that though Gillian Flynn, the author of the book,  wrote the screen play, there are changed from the book .  The ending is one of the changes. I prefer reading the book before seeing the film, but didn’t this time.

We both enjoyed the film which often doesn’t happen with the difference we have in tastes in film.  So I would recommend this to see either in the theaters or On Demand or Netflix later on!   * * * * out of 5 stars.

I would love to hear your thoughts. . . . .