Dir. David Fincher
« I’m so much happier now that I’m dead »
In the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary: Nick (Ben Affleck) finds out that his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) is missing.
It looks like there was a fight but something seems strange to the police, especially Nick’s disinterested and extremely cynical behavior. The investigations begin.
On one side there is the police and on the other there are the media, trying to find out where the inventor of the book “Amazing Amy” is.
A case that opposes the different opinions, in which Nick is the first suspected.
Inspired by the story of Gillian Flynn (film screenwriter), the movie creates a noir universe without clear separation between good and evil, right and wrong: all characters are versatile, never predictable.
There are lots of plot twists: the first part is about the investigations and Nick’s and Amy’s love story, the second part turns out the unconventional side of the plot throug Amy’s diary. Despite several scriptholes, the film is a perfect example of entertainment, not allowing the viewer to look away, also because of Fincher’s remarkable skills.
Some curiosity:
-The actors’ choice was guided by the director’s attention for details: Ben Affleck chosen for his catwalk smile, perfect for Nick’s iconic scene at the press conference, and Rosamund Pike chosen for being an only child, just like the protagonist.
– Reese Witherspoon got the film rights of Gillian Flynn in June 2012 and had decided to produce the movie and act as Amy. After she met David Fincher and talked about his vision of the film, Witherspoon realized she was not the right person to play the female protagonist.
-In America, the movie was forbidden under 17 because of an oral sex scene. Despite the resting very violent scenes, taking away that one had create less restrictions.
-For her interpretation, Rosamund Pike has been inspired by Nicole Kidmanin in “To Die for” (1995) and by Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct (1992). She also studied Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr.’s wife, for her body language. Ben Affleck was inspired by real cases, in particular Scott Peterson, accused in 2003 of killing his wife.
– During a scene, Amy and Nick talk about Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice: the same Pike worked on the cinematic transposition of it.
Federico Tempella
Translation Samira Loser
Cabiriams 