Let's Discuss: Five Things Concerning 'Gone Girl'

Ever since seeing the much buzzed about and highly acclaimed “Gone Girl,” there were some lingering issues that stood out, negatively affecting the film’s quality, including when compared to other movies. However, in Eclectic Pop’s review, there were limits for how detailed the criticisms could be. Hence, this companion piece digs into spoiler territory and lists five specific things that hindered the movie personally. 

The following article contains spoilers about “Gone Girl,” “Malice,” and “To Die For.”

#5: The Whispering

Maybe it was the sound mixing or an overpowering soundtrack. Nonetheless, the result was garbled dialogue. It is hard to fathom a person softly speaking to someone at a loud party or in a quiet bedroom where there is no need for privacy.

Amy and Nick’s measured vocal patterns detracted from the emotional variability throughout the movie. Making an audience pay close attention to dialogue is good; making them strain to hear said dialogue is not.

#4: Queasy Similarities in Headline Making Cases

It’s one of the stickiest aspects of “Gone Girl.” The glaring similarities to real-life cases, mainly with the tragic case of Laci Peterson, are unavoidable. In light of these events, the storyline it creates does not acknowledge the women in those crimes as true victims. While there are issues worth discussing that the movie points out, casting doubt on the legitimacy of such specific cases is alarming.

The media’s lack of accountability as they fan the flames of hysteria amidst a progressing investigation and the public’s virulent judgment of suspects are relevant concerns that need to be taken to task. However, building a story that so flagrantly uses confirmed horrors as a foundation makes for an uneasy entry point. 
 

#3: Plot Holes

According to “Gone Girl,” Amy studies how to fake her murder through a steady diet of TV news magazines and crime dramas. Then, within what appears to be the time frame of a few weeks, she has gotten her scheme all set up.

As calculating and ingenious as she is supposed to be, she rushes one key component of her plan -- the acquisition of her blood. There is no way she could lose that much blood in one sitting to perform the frame. She would have died. Another thing that is off is the timeline of her weight gain.

She is shown scarfing down some sugary snacks the day after she “disappears” and manages to gain over 10 pounds in the course of a few days. Unfortunately, there is not enough time given to warrant a weight gain that would render her unrecognizable.

#2: Amy is Not a Great Femme Fatale

Whether Amy is intended to be one or not, her behavior throughout the film suggests she fits the bill of a femme fatale. A chief example is her bewitching prowess with men. Yet, how she manages to wield such an influence is hard to fathom. Amy demonstrates a limited sensuality that lacks any believable foreplay. 

Whenever Amy tries to turn on the heat, her disgust is obvious, and her cold mentality is hardly the behavior of a seductress. How someone could get caught in her web is a bewildering and unexplained phenomenon that discredits her achievements as a heretofore temptress.

#1: Other Movies Have Done It Better

Personally speaking, Nicole Kidman’s magnificent turns in “Malice” and “To Die For” are the standard-bearers for cinema femme fatales. As the epitome of a woman on the warpath, Kidman’s characters are typically a cache of innocence, wicked cunning, sexual manipulation, and staggering ruthlessness.

Nicole Kidman is convincing at every stage, and while Rosamund Pike nails Amy’s frosty demeanor, she doesn’t quite convey those other qualities. As for movies about an elaborate frame job, 1997’s “The Beneficiary” is tough to beat and similarly deals with a woman crafting a set-up that is far more feasible. It is chilling and surprisingly original.

“Gone Girl” never really exploits the “did he do it?” angle of its story as the trailer suggests it will. A thriller that did explore it with impeccable twists and turns was 1991’s “Under Suspicion” starring Liam Neeson, a must-see movie.

Did any of these issues keep you from liking "Gone Girl"? Eclectic Pop wants to hear from you! You can share your thoughts by tweeting @EclecticPop or leaving a comment below.