Advertisement

Ben Affleck’s ‘Gone Girl’ trailer showcases Fincher spin on Flynn

Share

“Gone Girl” was already one of the most anticipated movies of the fall, what with David Fincher taking on the Gillian Flynn bestseller about a young wife who goes missing -- and the always interesting, frequently polarizing Ben Affleck in the lead role of the ambiguous Nick Dunne.

A new, fuller trailer from studio Fox ensures there will be storylines galore upon, and in the months leading up to, the “Fugitive”-esque film’s Oct. 3 release. (A trailer that came out several months ago was shorter and featured little dialogue, mainly showing a montage of scenes with Richard Butler singing the Charles Aznavour song “She” over them.)

From the second spot that dropped Monday, “Gone Girl,” about the disappearance of Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) and the role Nick may have played in it, looks to examine the disappearance with the same surround-sound qualities as Flynn’s book. (Flynn also wrote the screenplay.) There are the emotional consequences, the media fallout and, of course, the mysteries.

Advertisement

The trailer doesn’t skimp on the last score, even including procedural elements — crime scenes and blood type and all of that — though knowing Fincher’s tendencies in movies like “Zodiac,” it’s safe to assume this won’t exactly be handled in “CSI” fashion.

That there is also some telegraphing of themes — “The hallmark of a sociopath is a lack of empathy,” as one skeptic can be heard saying -- is hardly a surprise given the movie’s big commercial aims. If ever there was a film that merited a “Don’t judge the final product by its trailer” warning label, this would be it.

The spot also offers glimpses of the production’s unexpected casting: Neil Patrick Harris in a rare dramatic role as the mysterious stranger who may be connected to Amy’s disappearance (“I wanted to help,” intoned seriously) and Tyler Perry as Nick Dunne’s defense attorney (“Whatever they found, I think it’s safe to assume that it’s very bad.”)

And then, of course, there’s Affleck. This is a tricky role, one where the character Affleck is playing may himself be playing a part. So seeing some of the performance strings is welcome — though too many of them and the illusion, for Dunne and Affleck, falls apart.

The trailer features many cutaways to the actor looking puzzled, his well-known face going wide-eyed as he and others make discoveries about the case. As the release nears, moviedom’s pupils are bulging too.

Follow @ZeitchikLAT for nuggets movie and pop-cultural.

Advertisement
Advertisement