Gone Girl, a mystery thriller directed by David Fincher and based off of the book by Gillian Flynn (who also wrote the screenplay), was released on Oct. 3. Based off of the trailer, this movie appears to be the typical abduction story with a focus on the influence of the media, but it ends up being much more than that. With exciting storytelling, impressive performances and relatable themes, Gone Girl is a movie that takes viewers along on the exciting mission of finding the truth behind a seemingly simple event.

The movie begins on the fifth wedding anniversary of Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike). After visiting the bar that he owns with his sister Margo (Carrie Coon), Nick returns to find that his wife is missing. After notifying the police, the media follows the case and accuses Nick of killing his wife.

The storytelling and chronology of this movie keeps viewers interested by providing questions and then going back to answer them. The movie begins by telling the story of Nick’s experiences after his wife disappears, and then it goes back to tell the story of Amy’s experiences. Eventually the stories alternate, answering each other’s questions and changing the audience’s views of the characters. This unique ordering of events in the movie keeps viewers engaged in the mystery and makes the twists in the movie even more unexpected and entertaining.

The performances of Affleck and Pike made this movie the masterpiece that it is. With Affleck understanding what it’s like to have the media following him around, his performance seemed authentic and not forced at all. Pike’s performance was outstanding, at least deserving an Academy Award nomination. Pike is able to perfectly portray all of the different personalities that her character has throughout the movie, a skill that is hard to find in many actors.

The realistic emotion given from both of these performances allows the audience to really feel like part of the story. The comic relief and added emotion of Coon also make the movie more enjoyable during its darker moments, and the appearance of popular actor Neil Patrick Harris was also enjoyable to see.

The themes of this movie include relationships, truth and the influence of the media, which are all relatable and relevant today. The relationship between Nick and Amy is extremely complex, reflecting how difficult it is sometimes to communicate and know what other people are thinking.

Another large theme in this movie is the influence of the media. With the presence of television, the Internet and news reports, our opinions are widely influenced by other, sometimes unqualified, people, which is what Nick Dunne experiences in this movie. Also, the entire movie is a search for truth: the truth about what happened to Amy, the truth about how Amy and Nick feel about each other, and the truth of Amy’s true personality.

This movie is one that exceeds expectations. David Fincher’s masterful directing combined with the amazing story by Gillian Flynn are unbeatable. The unique storytelling and depth of this movie along with the realistic performances could put it on the list of classics.