Introduction
The movie Gone Girl is a profound work of art that addresses one of society’s most social strategic issues. The movie talks about the entire concept of marriage and its circumstances. As noted by Nuraisiah et al. (259), the central characters’ positions in society and how they are portrayed make the movie eye-catching. It provides a ground for defining reality and perception about marriage life, notwithstanding marriage can also be faced by crime situations—part of the social issues. Having an in-depth grasp of movie proceedings, media plays an essential role in identifying crime, besides the search for guilt and innocence under the scrutiny of the public, especially when they react to induce the wrong outcome.
Aspects of Crime in the Gone Girl Movie
Based on my analysis and understanding of the movie, the crime topic takes center stage. Everything begins from the day Nick’s wife, disappeared on their fifth marriage anniversary. It is in the public domain that one would rarely abandon their partners on special dates (e.g., marriage anniversary day). Nick and his wife have always been together in the past marriage anniversary celebrations. Subsequent scenes open up on the couple’s dark side, making it a crime-dominated film (Osborne 17). A lot unfolds, from the blood spots that detectives Rhoda Boney and Officer Jim Gilpin find in Nick’s house to the death of Desi (Amy’s ex-boyfriend). Discovering crime in the marriage between Nick and his wife, culminated in various perceptions, as the public searched for reality.
Perception Versus Reality in the Movie
The couple plays a vital role in differentiating the two discussion subjects, namely reality versus perception. Some instances are captured in the film and brought out by Amy and Nick in their marriage. There is a myth that solid emotional attachment between lovers provides them with a chance to read each other’s minds. The Gone Girl movie demystifies the perception described through flashbacks (Nuraeni and Cicih 48). In the early scenes, Nick and Amy exchange the same bed sheets as gifts. Sarcastically, Nick comments that they must appear endearing.
It explains how individuals in a relationship should physically appear. By extension, marriage involves parties who appear in a relationship and shape behavior to be compatible. The film questions the possible consequences of allowing such people to fit into relationships. People might be physically attached, but mentally, they are apart (Muhid 215). Amy demonstrates this in her ordeals that lead to her husband’s mental torture. Amy mentions this to her husband: ‘We have each other. Everything else is background noise.’ Various actors reflected in the movie expressed mixed reactions which are explained in the succeeding paragraphs.
On the question of whether Amy and Nick believed in their marriage at the outset, I would say they believed in it. Based on my understanding of the movie, Nick and Amy were ‘fake’ with each other. The couple built their relationship based on unrealistic fantasies and committed to their ideologies. An excellent example to illustrate my explanation is that there could be no problems if Nick had retained his job (Osborne and Patrick 28). Nick realizes the true character of Amy after faking her death and putting the blame on him. They were the architects of their downfall throughout the film. Besides the main characters in the movie, the contribution of other actors (e.g., Trent Reznor vs. Atticus Ross, and Tanner Bolt vs. Desi Collings) impacted the perception of the public significantly.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross won the Oscar for the 2010 score of The Social Network because of their significant contribution. They are behind the score of the Gone Girl movie, making it thrilling to viewers. Viewers feel some sense of chills the moment the soundtracks start playing. The soundtracks make viewers get entirely connected to the movie emotionally. (Rohman, and Syakir 25). Soundtracks polish the film, making it enjoyable from the opening scene to the last. The collaboration between Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and David Fincher is exciting.
Tanner Bolt and Desi Collings significantly contribute to realizing the theme of the film. Tanner Bolt is a well-known criminal lawyer skilled at getting people acquitted of their criminal offenses. He is Nick’s lawyer who creates a sense of humor. He plays the role of a demi-god by helping Nick overcome pressure from the media, police investigations, and the public. An example of a quote by Tanner Bolt: ‘Whatever they found, I think it is safe to assume it is bad.’ Tanner Bolt tactically approaches each situation revolving around the ‘murder’ of Amy (Rohman, and Syakir 25). He convinces everyone that Amy is faking her death to revenge her husband’s affair with Andie.
On the other end, Desi Collings is Amy’s ex-boyfriend, who shares intimate moments. His main contribution to the narrative is that he helped one of the central characters, Amy achieves her mission. He presents himself as ‘collateral damage in the ordeal involving Nick and his wife, Amy. Desi Collings’s involvement in the film facilitates its achievement of a plot twist (Nuraeni, and Cicih 47). The plot twist occurred when Amy slit Desi’s throat while getting intimate, and the scenario changed the Gone Girl narrative. However, the role that the main participants (i.e., Nick and Amy) play shapes the theme of crime as a social issue.
Role of Nick and Amy in Achieving Crime as a Theme of the Movie
An encounter with Nick and Amy in the narrative makes it essential for viewers to learn and appreciate the theme. Each one’s behavior meets viewers’ expectations in the film. It is about a couple battling for royalty in their marriage, painting a different picture. Therefore, I did not take a side between the two characters. They all had joint contributions to the theme of the story and met my expectations (Yogi Prabowo 92). Another essential part of the essay touches on Amy’s false rape claim and how it poses a dangerous, damaging concept in popular culture. In most of the reported cases in society, most females are always the victims of rape. Although the movie reflects the rivalry between couples, it sensitizes the public, making it successful.
I feel this is a success story in modern society because most people relate to it. Topics of gender equality are everywhere, and females tend to get more attention than males. Most women would relate to Amy’s storyline in how she controls her world unbothered. The Gone Girl film covers Freud’s concepts of Id, Ego, and Superego. The first instance of Id is when Amy chooses to fake her death to satisfy her desires. Ego comes when Amy makes the uninformed decision to kill Desi without bothering about the possible consequences of her actions (Yogi Prabowo 92). The superego is displayed in Nick’s actions when his wife disappears, and he chooses to handle the situation critically. He respects the orders of the police and corporates with them in the search for his wife.
Conclusion
In conclusion, marriage is a strategic concept in a society that is successfully brought out in the narrative. Amy and Nick illustrate the actual story of marriage life. Violence, aggression, betrayal, and infidelity are all captured in the Gone Girl movie. The movie helps viewers differentiate between perception and reality in society.
Works Cited
Muhid, Abdul, et al. “Determining Scholastic Aptitude Test as Predictors of Academic Achievement on Students of Islamic School in Indonesia.” The New Educational Review, vol. 61, no. 3, 2020, pp. 211-221.
Nuraeni, Cici. “A Psychopath Analysis of Amy’s Character in Gone Girl Movie.” Wanastra: Jurnal Bahasa dan Sastra 8.2, 2016, pp. 46-52.
Nuraisiah, Siti, et al. “Translating Attitudes toward Sexism in Gone Girl Novel (An Appraisal Theory Approach).” Lingua Cultura, vol. 12, no. 3, 2018, p. 259.
Osborne, Patrick. “I’m the Bitch that Makes You a Man”: Conditional Love as Female Vengeance in Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl.” Gender Forum. No. 63, 2017, pp.5-29.
Situmorang, Dina Evianna. Id Dominant of The Main Character” Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn: Psychological Approach. Diss. Prodi Sastra Inggris, 2022, pp. 110-115.
Yogi Prabowo, Ganesh, and Astry Fajria. “The Main Character’s Jealousy as Seen in Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl: A Psychological Approach.” Ahmad Dahlan Journal of English Studies, vol. 8, no. 1, 2021, p. 92.