It is important to understand the fact that artistic cinematography and literature are anthropocentric. Over time, the value of the personality increases absorbs all the attention of the author, who seeks to reveal the inner world of the hero. The film gives the recipient the opportunity to realize the dynamics of the character’s thoughts and actions, to form his own vision of the image. Gone Girl is a detective psychological thriller shot in 2014, which is based on Gillian Flynn’s novel.
The movie was directed by David Fincher, but the screenplay was created and conducted by Gillian Flynn. A deep and detailed image of the inner world of the heroes, such as their thoughts, desires, experiences, which is an essential feature of the aesthetic world of the work. The given analysis will primarily focus on the film’s setting, characters, and overall theme. In addition, the original book will be utilized in order to give a more complete analysis of the movie. The movieâs setting makes it realistic, whereas the main character unveils the major theme of dishonesty and superficiality.
Setting
The movie’s general setting takes place in modern times in the United States. By thoroughly observing costumes and sets, it is evident that both main characters, Nick and Amy, are members of the upper-middle class. I felt that this story was relevant because the circumstances are highly familiar. The film states both time and place, where the storyline indicates that the character lost their jobs due to the recession and reside in North Carthage (Gone Girl).
Therefore, it is evident that the time of settings takes place somewhere after 2008 in the state of Missouri. The movie is in color due to the fact that it takes place in modern times. However, it is not relevant to the storyline because the film does not use black and white colors to set the mood. The setting is a critical component of the storyline because the recession was the main cause for spouses losing their jobs. This puts massive pressure on their marriage, which is one of the primary topics of the movie.
Character
The given section will primarily focus on Amy as she is the main catalyst in the storyline, whereas Nick can be considered a reactionary character. Amy is revealed twice in the plot, where initially, she is presented as a victim of kidnapping or murder. However, her second appearance in the middle of the film takes place in front of a mirror, where she is doing make-up facing directly at the camera (Gone Girl). In the first half of the film, viewers acquire some part of the information on Amy through other characters, where she is presented as a victim and a decent wife. Amy’s appearance is critical because it is designed not to reveal her true psychopathic identity.
Therefore, her language and appearance can be considered normal and average without any perks. One of the main advantages of the film is the fact that characters appear to be generic at first, but their inner problems are discovered as the story unfolds. Amy’s appearance changes after viewers are introduced to her true disturbing identity, where she slightly shortens her haircut and uses minimum make-up. She is a clear-cut villain of the film because her actions are designed to frame her husband as a murderer.
After a revealing scene, my feelings for Amy flipped from empathy to disgust and general hate. Amy constantly deceives others, seeks to control the behavior of people, to influence their actions. Amy seems to be writing a script, forcing others to act within its framework. She loves to play God, where she writes a script for her victims and punishes them for misconduct (Flynn 121). Amy punishes her ex-boyfriend with a false rape charge, rigging it up as if he was guilty.
To punish her school friend, Hilary Amy decides to expose her craziness, also carefully adjusting everything. Thus, the psychological portrait of the main character of the film does not coincide with her outward appearance. Amy is a universal favorite and an object to follow, she is ideal in everything, but this is only the mask that she puts on and shows to the majority. Anyone who dares to cross her path will be punished, or, as in the case of her husband, Nick, will be placed in a framework that cannot be exited.
Theme
The primary theme of the film is dishonesty and deception, which are manifested in the superficial appearance of the main character. It is important to note that due to the use of a fictitious diary in the plot of the movie, the author complicates the psychological portrait of the main character. She describes her thoughts and feelings in such a way as to appear in the guise of an ideal wife, suffering from the inattention and cruelty of her husband. Amy confesses that Amy from the diary and Amy, in reality, are two different people. She convinces the readers of the book that Amy is from the diary, which is just fiction, and she is the real Amy (Flynn 348). Of particular interest is the fact that the main reason for the revenge in the diary is not presented, because it remained behind the scenes.
In the novel, the author creates the image of a sociopath-monster with obvious mental deviations. It is difficult to judge what exactly influenced the formation of Amy. As a rule, the personality is formed at an early age, and it can be assumed that the causes of mental disorders lie in childhood and Amy’s family. Although Amy’s parents are the perfect pair of psychologists, Amy has always felt that she is not good enough for them. Instead of concentrating on the only and long-awaited daughter, they created her idealized image. Amy understands that no matter how hard she tries she will still be one step behind her literary copy. Amy tried to be perfect all her life, at least to match her prototype – Super Amy (Flynn 359). Therefore, from early childhood, she plays a superficial role, while hiding her true self.
In general, I enjoyed the film, but what I did not like is the fact that the story was highly realistic and that such situations might happen in reality. I felt a little worried that I too might be considering someone as a decent human being, when, in fact, he or she is a horrible person with severe problems. In addition, I did not like that the film did not fully elaborate on the underlying causes of Amy’s issues. Although there were certain hints, I think the novel provides a more detailed analysis of her identity and past traumas.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the movie Gone Girl by David Fincher is an important work on superficiality. The setting plays a major role in facilitating the actions of the main character because the recession puts pressure on the marriage. Amy is a core element of the storyline, where she is introduced twice throughout the film. Initially, viewers learn about her superficial side, which makes her a good wife and citizen. However, later, it is revealed that she possesses deep psychological problems, such as deception and cruelty. The key theme of the film is dishonesty because Amy was conditioned to adhere to the social norm, which leads to the breakdown.
Works Cited
Fincher, David, director. Gone Girl. Twentieth Century Fox, 2014.
Flynn, Gillian. Gone Girl. Broadway Books, 2014.