Why I Saw It: Great director and cast. Possible awards player. Guaranteed box office hit. It has all the reasons I see things in theaters covered.
Cast: It's hard to see anyone other than Ben Affleck playing the lead role. He has that put upon handsome guy thing down and when the beats of the story shift, he's ready for it. Rosamund Pike is a force and it's hard to believe it's taken her this long to shine in a major role. Between The Leftovers and this, I'm officially in love with Carrie Coon. This is the most comfortable I've ever seen Tyler Perry and I'd be happy to see this version of him in more movies. Neil Patrick Harris is nice and creepy. Kim Dickens ads some shading to an otherwise generic lead investigator. Patrick Fugit has one of those characters who doesn't really need to be there, but I'm still glad he's in the movie. Very strong cast.
Plot: The mystery is part of the fun, so I'm not about spoilers here. The movie is sold as a mystery about a man who's wife goes missing and he is the primary suspect. That's more like act one. Pike as the wife gets plenty more to do beyond acting out diary entries and the movie becomes less about the mystery (because there is none by the mid-point) and more about how it all plays out. The shift in the story is a little jarring if you aren't prepared for it, although that's part of the fun.
Elephant in the Room: If it's not a mystery, then what is it? I'd lean toward calling it a dark comedy. I know I was chuckling through most of the third act but I was also clearly the person in the theater who was laughing the most. Most of the comedy has to do with irony, not punchlines. There's still plenty of dark, Zodiac-like imagery and it is very tense at times. There's a mix of tones.
To Sum Things Up:
I'm really not sure how this will play for people looking for What Lies Beneath. It's not that movie. Not by the end. The performances are top notch. David Fincher's direction is superb. The story takes you for a ride. I have no complaints.
Verdict (?): Strongly Recommend
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