Gone Girl: A Movie Review

Finally had the chance to watch Gone Girl last Monday where I have to plead with the guard at the employee exit to let us in at Shangrila because the mall's already closed. Good thing he listened to me and allowed us in after radio-ing for an approval from his boss. (You rock, kuya!) Moving on, here are my comments on the movie:

1. The acting was not that impressive.

          -  Some reviews had praised Rosamund Pike's acting on the film. I didn't think it was anything special. She basically spoke in a deadpan manner all through out the film,  and did nothing major that can showcase her talent as an actress. I think what happens is a misplaced appreciation. Instead of appreciating the plot of the film which was tied in to any brilliant sociopathic plan Amy Dunne executes, some people look at the complete contrast between her pretty face and her character in the film then easily credits her and her acting for the twists of the film.

     2.   The character is not sociopathic enough. 

          -  After reading about sociopaths and psychopaths, I have learned the key traits of sociopaths as well as how to identify them, and one of their key traits is lacking the capacity to love any other person other than themselves. In the movie, Amy Dunne's mental illness seem to spring from only one cause: her love for her husband Nick Dunne. So much so that it made her contemplate ending her own life -which was a "notice me, love me plea" masked as a form of revenge. It also made her kill another man, etc. In reality, sociopaths function just for themselves and no one else. If ever they will be doing favors for someone else which might seem as a form of love, it will be because they want something in return from them but once they get what they want, they can drop you like a hot potato and move on to their next target. Therefore,  the character created cannot be labelled a sociopath since she can love,  albeit the crazy kind.

    3.    Why didn't they find Amy Dunne? 

          -  If Nick Dunne employed the best and most expensive lawyer and everyone knew about the men she previously dated,  then why didn't they think of looking for her at their homes,  especially with the ex who can't move on and moved to be closer to her?  Just doesn't make sense!

    4.    The movie will make you recognize some of your exes/colleagues/etc.  

         -   As being a sociopath is fairly common nowadays,  I can't help but muse at how similar the main character in Gone Girl was to a former colleague I had who seem to be causing a lot of stress and conflict whenever she's around and whom we even suspect to be quite a crook who steals from the company's funds. Just like Rosamund Pike's character in the movie,  she is also a go-getter and always seem to get what she wants.

    5.    The movie may also promote victim blaming and slut shaming. 

         -  Just as the movie will help us identify when someone we know have idiosyncracies or any form of mental illness, I can predict that in the same way,  chauvinists and similar types of people who watched the film/read the book may use the movie/book as an excuse to victim blame and slut shame people who may have been real victims of rape and other crimes. I certainly hope not.