‘GONE’(2012)

by 

Amanda Seyfried is a stereotyped actress. She has a reputation for playing the sweet fiancée or the girl-next-door rather than an action star. The pretty blue-eyed blonde doesn’t seem to have the right stature it takes to make a good kick-butt kind of star as this role would requite but to her credit, she pulls it off.

Gone (2012) Film Review

No one takes her her seriously, they didn’t then and they aren’t now. Not the police or her younger sister. But Jill Clayton (Seyfried) is not going to let anyone call her that “crazy Clayton girl.” She knows what happened and she’s not going to stop until she proves it. In the aftermath of her parents death, from her own home, Jill was kidnapped. Miraculously, she becomes the one victim of the serial killer to escape. Her reports to the police eventually goes to the bottom of the pile when nothing she says proves truthful.

Later, she’s put into a mental institution before her sister Molly (Emily Wickersham) secures her release. But Jill isn’t willing to give up so easily. Every chance she gets she goes out to the forest park, trying to find where he kept her. Then it happens all over again, only this time, Molly disappears.  

‘GONE’ (2012). Amanda Seyfried plays a woman seeking answers in this tense thriller. #Movies #Moviearchives Click To Tweet

Movie trivia says this is one of the titles that critics didn’t screen, and I can see why this didn’t turn out to be a success but Gone is surprisingly good and the acting isn’t half bad. Its big-name cast gives the movie recognition and the plot isn’t as pathetic as viewers may think. Seyfried delivers an authentic performance; she has a fragility that is actually advantageous to the character. Likewise, Emily Wickersham (who later goes on to co-star in CBS’ NCIS) turns in a believable performance.

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The script isn’t fabulous, and nearly five minutes pass before there’s any conversation (more about this later) but the suspense isn’t terrible. It puts you on the edge of you seat a time or two and the overall ambience is fabulous. There’s so many small things that contribute to Jill’s paranoia, which then of course, makes us more hyped. In part what I do like about the story is that the audience never questions the validity of Jill’s story; we “know” it’s true. It’s one of the reasons the film works so well.

As I say earlier in the review, Gone definitely tends more on the slow side. There’s a lot of moments in which Jill is simply doing Internet searches or knocking on doors but I think to work, this movie needs this. It’s part of what drives the character of Jill. Another thing I will say; the ending is quite unsatisfying. It just kind of, ends. It isn’t necessarily a bad ending because there’s nothing else to know, but it’s still somehow incomplete. If there’s an upside, I do love Jill’s final line. Certainly not the
best movie of the year, this is also far from the worst. There’s some edge-of-your-seat thrills and chills and allows the heroine to have the last word. It’s one that gives us something to think on. If nothing else, it makes us realize that we do have to be on defense in a world filled with scary people.  

Content: the movie shows a shot of a woman showering with a full side view [she is shadowed by the curtain]. There might be a sexual innuendo [a one-sided conversation implies a guy wants to spend the night with his girlfriend]; a woman takes pills for a condition, and there is reference to drugs and alcoholism. Guns are fired and one man is shot three times then lit on fire [we hear his screams]. There are some tense moments. There is profanity including one use of the f-word, sh*t and others. The film is PG-13.

About Rissi JC

amateur graphic designer. confirmed bookaholic. bubbl’r enthusiast. critical thinker. miswesterner. social media coordinator. writer.

9 comments

  1. it did seem more of a suspenseful kind of movie. great review, girl! as always! glad to know that amanda seyfried ddi some justice for this type of role. i think she's trying to broaden her roles a bit. good for her!! :)
    xo TJ

  2. Miss Jack Lewis Baillot – fortunately, the kidnapper reveal isn't until about ten minutes before the end, and you can see the "scary" bit coming because the tension builds to that.

    Overall, it is actually a decent if not the most brilliant thriller.

    Thanks for stopping by – do so again soon. :-)

    TJ – I thought the suspense was actually decent. There wasn't a lot of "action" so the movie needed that in order to succeed.

    Amanda did well enough in the role – she wasn't an Angelina Jolie in Salt but this isn't that kind of movie. You are right: Good for her!

    Thanks! :-)

  3. Hi Dear! I'm Gianna, and I'm new to blogging! I would more than appreciate for you to come check out my blog! here at,
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    If you do come, make sure and let me know, leave me a comment, or follow me!
    xoxo,
    Gianna

  4. Lovely to "meet" you, Gianna.

    Welcome to blogging! It is great fun. :-) Thank you for stopping by – please do so again.

    Off to check out your blog. =)

  5. Yes ma'am this one's on my list to watch. I too think it's a good move on Amanda S's part to try to diversify what she can play. Kinda getting tired of her roles recently. So this one definitely intrigues me.

  6. Really? I have liked everything Amanda has starred in. She usually impresses.

    Enjoy this one! I thought it was actually not bad.

  7. I absolutely love Amanda Seyfried, she's definitely one of my favorite actresses, and she definitely can play any role she wants. Although I'm too terrified to watch this movie, I'm sure she was fabulous in it, as always! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving comments! Looking forward to reading more reviews!
    Juliet

  8. As do I, Juliet. I think she is always great and adorable.

    Oh, really? You aren't a big thriller fan, huh?! That is okay. As a child I was freaked out by a mystery and didn't want to have anything to do with them after that… as is proof from the reviews on this blog, I've totally overcome that now. LOL! ;-)

    Oh, goody! I've got more this week – starting tomorrow morning! Thanks for stopping by!!

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