Gone Girl: Mystery, Thriller, Satire

David Fincher's Gone Girl is best understood through the lens of a strict three act structure, in which each act plays out within its own unique genre. The final act is the most vital to understand, since it is the most commonly maligned among the film's critics. This way of looking at the film elevated the whole experience immensely for me, and I hope it enriches your view as well.

A note about the script: This video essay was written and recorded over a year ago, in an environment and with equipment that I don't have such easy access to anymore. A lot has happened in the last year, but a huge cultural moment that stands out in my mind is the Me Too movement. Watching this video today, I can see how it could come off poorly within our current context--specifically concerning the idea that a woman would lie about being raped or sexually assaulted.

I cringe at the idea that my essay might paint a picture of a world where women flippantly accuse men of sexual assault. That is not remotely my intent, but I can see how my script could potentially be taken that way. That overall theme is not the main concern of this essay, but I did think it would be the responsible thing to at least address it in some way.

For some further reading on the topic:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/may/01/gillian-flynn-bestseller-gone-girl-misogyny

https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2014/10/female-villains-and-false-accusations-feminist-defence-gone-girl

Videos used:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlVsIqpMXIs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa_CvANF1uo

Видео Gone Girl: Mystery, Thriller, Satire канала Daniel King