Gone Girl - SPOILERS

[cartsmar]

I read the book and didn't like it. Saw the film tonight and thought it was incredibly well done. Dark, twisted, fantastic soundtrack by Trent Reznor.

The ending had small changes but largely the same. I didn't like the ending in the book but I thought the film did it well. I liked that it didn't conclude in a sweet little package.

I know some criticism of the book was that none of the characters wee likeable, but so what? I don't have to like characters to enjoy a book. I liked that no one was likeable.

DH thought the film was great; Great story, well done. He hadn't read the book.

SPOILERS

I felt that the film lagged a bit in the first third (much like the book), but overall it was a really great adaptation, and perfectly cast.

To bring up a minor niggle, I think that the way the film approached the infamous 'Cool Girl' segment was a bit weak, but it didn't spoil the narrative flow.

It generally handled the material of the book very well, I thought: it obviously left some elements out, and played up others, but it all coalesced in a satisfying manner, and I really enjoyed the black humour of the later section. Thinking about it, it's a shame that they didn't refer at all to the question of Nick's reluctance to provide an albi, because it was a rather poignant element in the book (he was reading old issues of the magazine he used to write for, narcissistically wallowing in nostalgia), but I can see that they couldn't include everything.

I was really pleased with the ending- I think that it was a triumph for Gillian Flynn in that she got to expand on and justify how she had concluded the novel, yet it was given more time and explanation, and made up for the slightly underwritten conclusion of the book.

It was a great film, I thought, and a rare example of one that does justice to the book. It should please fresh viewers and previous readers alike.

Can you tell me why it is an 18? I am thinking about going to watch it this week but the fact that it is an 18 is putting me off!! Is it quite violent/ graphic?

Some mild nudity, couple of sex scenes, some swearing (bitch cunt fuck), one scene of quite shocking bloody but quick violence. I watched it with my mum and squirmed, but survived...

It's the sum of what BOFster says that makes it an 18. A 'cunt' can do it apparently.

It's not gruesome or torture porn or anything.

Okay thanks thats reassuring!! I am going with my mum BOF as well so didn't want to traumatise her or me

I really enjoyed the film - good trashy nasty grown-up fun. I really liked the book too though.

Agree that the Cool Girl bit in the book is punch-the-air brilliant, whereas in the film it wasn't as strong. In the book it's a large part of the reason why you start off having a tiny bit of... (not sure what the right word is - empathy? sympathy? identification with?) the 'real' Amy.

The film did present her as a more inexplicable bunny-boiler, whereas in the book you can see over time where she's coming from. Not that that makes most of her actions less weird, but at least you can sort of understand her viewpoint a bit more.

Nick is a bit less feckless and irritating in the film than he was in the book. His affair with the student is less examined in the film version. In the book it's clear he's using her purely for sex and being very dishonest to everyone.

I think overall the book was more feminist? If that makes any sense. I saw a piece by Joan Smith furious about how the film perpetuates rape myths and while I didn't agree, I can see how some people would see the final act of the film in that way. The book reminded me of things like Helen Zahavi's Dirty Weekend, or The Life and Loves of a She-Devil.

Love the soundtrack - they did a gorgeous soundtrack for The Social Network and this one is just as good IMO.

Murder and fraud etc not withstanding, I think Amy is a rather brilliant anti-heroine and there's a part of me that quite admires her . Must say I didn't particularly like Rosamund Pike's performance though - it was a bit glassy and one-note. And what was with the weird fat pouches in her cheeks - did she not want to go the whole hog and actually put on a stone or two? Whereas Affleck was a fairly convincing man-on-his-way-to-going-to-seed.

And as ever with Fincher there was an awful lot of female booty on display with not much justification. (Which would be fine if there was an equal amount of male booty on display, but of course there isn't, because I guess Fincher doesn't really care about actual feminism or anything...)

Just seen it. Hadn't read the book. I enjoyed it as an intriguing thriller. Did wonder if in the book it would have been possible to have a bit more understanding of if not empathy with Amy. Don't much like Rosamund Pike but her brittle ice maiden persona did suit the role. - or at least was a reasonable take on it.

Might read the book now.

Really didn't seem like an 18 to me. The extreme violence was just one short sharp shock and I'm sure I've heard worse language in lower rated films.

poly - apparently it's the combination of things that can make a film have an 18 rating. So language (the word cunt particularly) + sex + violence = 18. Might be a 15 if just language, etc

The BBFC say the following with regards to its content:

Violence
There is a scene of strong violence, which features a significant focus on blood and injury detail.

There is also a scene of domestic violence, and references to sexual violence and abuse.
Language
Over 50 uses of strong language ('f*k), as well as four uses of very strong language ('c*t') in quick succession, accompanied by some violence.

The film also contains several strong sex scenes, strong visual and verbal sex references, and breast nudity.

OK fair enough - but was expecting (not hoping for) it to be more overtly violent than it was.

Poly, yes in the book there was a lot made of her being the perfect girlfriend (in fact dp said she reminded him of me - until she turned into a psychopath!). I felt like they glossed over the reasons they both loved each other to get on with the nitty gritty.

I enjoyed the film, but I loved the book.

The last 18 film I saw in the cinema was (American version) Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and this was much less disturbing/upsetting than that.

glued couldnt take my eyes off the film, loved it until.....
the end was rank!!!!! so disappointing, spoilt it :(