Whatever you say about Ben Affleck – he now seems to know how to pick a great movie.
This is arguably the best film since his Oscar-winning director/actor vehicle Argo, and should give further credence to those Dark Knight-naysayers for his role as the Caped Crusader in the forthcoming Batman/Superman collaboration.
But this movie isn’t just about him; he’s equally aided by British star Rosamund Pike in this deliciously dark thriller in which Se7en helmer David Fincher moulds a stylishly-crafted sick world that delves into the deep recesses of the human mind.
Fincher is one of Hollywood’s most consistent directors, and here he daringly shows the twisted side of a couple’s relationship when things go wrong – with some extreme moral choices that leave you gasping for breath.
Affleck stars as Nick Dunne, a man who becomes the focus of a media circus when his wife Amy (Pike) disappears from their quiet Missouri abode on their fifth anniversary.
But when Dunne’s actions don’t quite seem as sincere as required – the spotlight turns on him when it’s suspected he may not be innocent.
The media pick up on this, and soon Nick has famous attorney Tanner Bolt (Tyler Perry) advising him, with twin sister Margo (an excellent co-starring turn from Carrie Coon) defending his actions – or is that in-actions – all the way.
Throw in Amy’s rich-ex Desi (How I Met Your Mother’s Neil Patrick Harris), and the situation skyrockets into an intriguing movie spectacle that can’t really be explained further here – at the risk of spoiler alert.
Suffice to say, if you’re a movie buff, this needs to be seen, as it’s one of the best – if not THE best – films of the year.
It has sick moral undertones that people may fleetingly think about during difficult times in their lives – but this film actually goes there.
The slightly out-of-kilter final act may take a little bit of shine off the great work from Affleck/Pike/Fincher – but by then you don’t care as you’re still reeling from what has come before.
If you want something that’ll make you think at the cinema – see this before it’s gone.
Visit www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for the latest up-to-date showtimes for Peterborough Showcase. You can also join the chat on Twitter @showcasecinemas or on Facebook by searching for ‘Showcase Cinemas UK’.
Gavin Miller
Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Carrie Coon & Kim Dickens
Running Time: 2 Hrs 25 Mins
Director: David Fincher
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