Looking For A Light Thriller? Amanda Seyfried’s Gone Is Good Enough

Gone is one of those movies that didn’t make a dent at the box office when it was released in theatres this past winter, but is actually a decent little thriller. Sure, it has cliched moments, maybe more than some will put up with, but Amanda Seyfried manages to carry the film surprisingly well, even if she’s not always convincing as a badass. Throw in a small, supporting role from one of my current favourite actors and I’ll admit to liking Gone way more than I expected to.

Seyfried stars as  Jill Conway, a young woman who claims she was kidnapped and left at the bottom of a whole, only escaping by sheer luck. However, no proof of her abduction and a past history of mental illness leaves police convinced she created the whole experience. When her sister goes missing, she swears the same person who abducted her is back, though the cops are unconvinced. From there, it’s up to Jill to find her sister before it’s too late.

Amanda Seyfried has never been an actress on my radar, though maybe she should be. She seems to be a bit of an “it” girl, and has made a name for herself in hit films like Letters To Juliet and Mama Mia! While she seemed a little too young and pretty to be toting a pistol and gunning her car in high speed chases, she did manage to carry Gone mainly on her shoulders. While not a mind-blowing performance, it was good enough for this thriller.

One thing that did stand out in a good way about Gone was the fact that, at least to my eyes, it wasn’t totally predictable. I was never sure about Jill’s mental state; she wasn’t a completely reliable main character, which is a huge plus for a film like this. There were also a few red herrings to keep us off the trail of what was really going on. Once again, none that were jaw-droppingly ingenius, but that were still strong enough to keep me guessing.

The supporting cast is fine, though it feels like Dexter’s Jennifer Carpenter was dropping in as a favour for someone, since her role is relatively minor. However, I was pleased to see Wes Bentley of American Beauty and now The Hunger Games playing a cop. After falling off the radar because of substance abuse in the mid-2000′s, Bentley has been reclaiming his place as a great, young actor in Hollywood. He doesn’t do much in Gone, but seeing him onscreen again was reminder of the potential he has.

While far from a classic, Gone is just smart enough to keep you guessing as to what’s really happening. If you’re in the mood for a light thriller, it’s worth a look.