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David Fincher's Gone Girl is out today and it's been a big topic online all week - I will direct you once again to my review at The Film Experience, but now that it's out for y'all to see I do wanna hear what you think of the movie. There have been a couple of positive reviews I've read that have momentarily convinced me that I might've been overly critical of the film, that maybe my Affleck-loathing had poisoned the well, but... no, I just don't think it's all it could've been. It never comes together - the trap never snaps shut on its Venus fangs.
One sticking point I forgot to mention in my review is, shockingly, the score - I am a Trent Reznor fan from way back, I had a ten foot poster of him on my dorm room wall, I dyed my hair black for god's sake. I loved Trent's music for his two previous Fincher collaborations. And the music itself, on its lonesome, is fine. But it doesn't sit well on the movie at all - it feels stifling and misplaced and not at all what the movie needed.
Also if you wanna see how fast you can get my brow to furrow, mention that you thought Tyler Perry gave anything more than an adequate performance - just because he didn't come in swinging from the rafters and behaved like a human being is not cause for celebration, people. I would love to hear somebody explain to me exactly what he did that was anything special with that part. Maybe an argument could be made that he made a good choice in under-playing a role that could've been hams-ville, especially in his hammy hands, and I might be willing to grant you that. But beyond that I nearly fell asleep when he was on-screen.
Another story that's gotten traction this week - because it's more interesting to talk about than Affleck's dull performance - is Big Ben's exposed genitalia. I enjoyed Rich's piece at Gawker (I even got a shout-out in that one) and Vulture's piece on just how to make sure you don't miss it had me in stitches. Oh and here's an interview with Michael Fassbender's penis on the subject. It's been a good week for cock-talk. For the record it is there, and it does seem impressive. No wonder Jennifer Garner seems so dazed all the time. It hasn't gotten as much attention but Neil Patrick Harris also gives a full-frontal in the film, but I am fairly certain it's a prosthetic for... reasons you'll understand when you see the movie. Still, good on Fincher. American movies need less funny dicks, and more sexy slash straight-dude-threatening ones.
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1 comment:
I want to see it again and think a bit about the films choice of tone. I read the book and think the movie is much more cynical. Probably for that reason alone I wound up liking the choice and the film very much. I like cynical films and this one stays there to the end. What comes across with the ending in the book as anti-climatic and in the film it's all nasty and leaves you with a disturbing smirk.
I have to admit I hated both leads in the first part but Pike definitely puts her fangs into the part. She reminded me of Theresa Russell in BLACK WIDOW. I thought the supporting cast was good and it was fun to see Patrick Fugit from ALMOST FAMOUS. I liked the casting in the film where I was skeptical when first announced. I liked the music but there were times where it just didn't fit. Maybe another scene but not the one it accompanied.
Fincher does a great job doing his best to elevate mediocre material and one wishes someone other than author had written the script. The "meet cute" scenes are terribly written.
Overall YES. I do want to see it again but I'm pretty much sold on any film this cynical.
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