Film: Gone Girl

When a seemingly happily married woman (Rosamund Pike) vanishes without a trace suspicion quickly falls on her husband (Ben Affleck).

The couple’s happy façade is soon exposed as a sham as we learn their troubles through a series of flashbacks. When we return to present day proceedings events take a surprising turn as nothing is what it appears to be.

Saying any more would risk spoilers but rest assured that this is a compelling tale that makes it easy to see why the book of the same name was a bestseller. Affleck and Oscar nominated Pike are excellent and there is decent support from Neil Patrick Harris (Starship Troopers).

Seven director David Fincher delivers a series of twists and turns that should delight anyone who hasn't read the book although the finale did feel like a little over-stretching of the imagination.

Ric’s Rating: Highly Recommended.    

DVD: State Of Play

Hollywood heavyweights Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck star in this 2009
movie based on a BBC tv show.

Affleck plays Congressman Stephen Collins who is the head of a committee investigating the billions of dollars being paid to private security firms for U.S defence contracts.

When his researcher (who happens to be his mistress) dies in suspicious circumstances he turns to old friend Cal McAffery (Crowe), an investigative journalist, for help.

All the ingredients are here for a fantastic film but the pace is so slow that it's hard to maintain interest.

Crowe is an immense presence as usual and Affleck, Helen Mirren and Rachel McAdams all do their best but they can't rescue what is ultimately just a dull film that fails to live up to it's billing.

Ric's Rating: 46%

Film: The Town

Following the impressive Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck brings us this tale of Boston bank robbers.

Affleck's crew plan meticulously ensuring that everything goes without a hitch but on their latest job they take the assistant bank manager (Rebecca Hall) hostage.

What follows is a top quality drama following the lives of the robbers and the FBI Agent (Jon Hamm) attempting to track them down.

Affleck creates a perfectly paced atmospheric piece that exceeds expectations as all involved give excellent performances thanks in no small part to a fantastic script.

Affleck himself turns in a perfectly balanced performance as Doug MacRay, a failed Ice Hockey pro with a troubled childhood who just wants one last score.

I won't give away any more plot details but I will say that this is up there with Mystic River and even evokes memories of The Shawshank Redemption, I just hope it gets the appropriate recognition come Oscar time.

One of the best dramas of recent years, it's flawless, has everything and is not to be missed.

Ric's Rating: 97%