Which Gillian Flynn adaptation is best?

With their messy women and twisty plots, Gillian Flynn’s novels have captivated readers. It’s no surprise that all three of her full-length novels have been adapted to the screen. Which one is best?

HBO’s Sharp Objects finished its eight episode run this past Sunday. It was the last of the three of Gillian Flynn’s full-length novels to be adapted to the screen. The other two, Gone Girl and Dark Places, were made into films in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Now that Sharp Objects is completed, Gillian Flynn and thriller lovers can argue about which adaptation is the best.

Dark Places has the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score and honestly, this doesn’t come as a surprise. Dark Places isn’t the worst movie, but it definitely isn’t a good film either. It is dull and mediocre at best.

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Unlike Sharp Objects, where the audience learns a lot about who the protagonist, Camille Preaker, is and feels for her, Dark Places spends little time developing its female lead, Libby Day. The audience is left not really caring about her or the murder case that haunts her.

Gone Girl and Sharp Objects both have fantastic leading female performances. However, Charlize Theron as Libby Day just falls flat.  Normally Theron is a great actress, but there is something about her as Libby that just doesn’t feel right. The performance seems more phoned in than something that is natural. Also, it might be the fact that in the novel Libby is described as barely five feet tall and Theron is almost six feet.

Sharp Objects has not just one, but three amazing female performances. Amy Adams, Eliza Scanlen, and Patricia Clarkson absolutely knock their roles out of the park. All three performances are ones that will stick with me for a while.

Besides its great acting, Sharp Objects is beautifully shot and expertly directed. Objects as simple as a dollhouse are used to convey so much. Music often contrasts with imagery creating an eerie, uneasy feeling. The audience sees very quick shots of horrible events such as murder, which create a nightmarish quality.

Though Sharp Objects has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score, I don’t think it’s the best adaptation of the three. There are times where it is frustratingly slow. The novel is only 254 pages long. The series doesn’t have that much to cover. It could have benefited from being an episode or two shorter.

The honor of the best Gillian Flynn adaptation goes to Gone Girl. David Fincher and Gillian Flynn are a match made in heaven. Both are experts at creating a dark, dreary mood. Gone Girl is driven by Rosamund Pike’s fantastic performance as Amy Dunne. She completely embodies Amy and all aspects of her complex personality. It is a performance that truly is iconic and will be remembered for years. (She was totally robbed of the Oscar).

Besides Pike’s performance, Gone Girl is a thrilling ride from start to finish. At 149 minutes long, there is never a dull moment. It has Gillian Flynn’s sharp social commentary and David Fincher’s amazing directing. It’s not a masterpiece, but it is a great film and truly embodies the essence of Gillian Flynn’s writing.

Which Gillian Flynn adaptation do you think is best? Comment below!