Gone Girl

This film contains very strong language, some scenes which some

viewers may find upsetting, and scenes of a sexual nature

When I think of my wife...

..I always think of her head.

I picture cracking her lovely skull...

..unspooling her brains...

..trying to get answers.

The primal questions of any marriage.

"What are you thinking?"

"How are you feeling?"

"What have we done to each other?"

HE SIGHS

BIRDS CHIRPING

HE SIGHS

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

Well! The Irish prince graces us with his presence.

His Majesty prefers not to be moistened.

I got you a present.

Oh.

-I hated this game.

-You loved it.

You loved it.

Thank you. I'll add it to the collection.

Can you pour me a bourbon?

HE SIGHS

What's up, Jitters?

HE BREATHES DEEPLY

Well, if you're not going to talk,

I'm going to have to fill the silence

with another excruciating story by Margo Dunne.

I could tell you about my recent customer service experience,

-changing internet service providers...

-I like that one.

Or how about the time

I saw that woman who looked exactly like my friend Monica?

But it wasn't Monica. it was a total stranger.

Who was also named Monica.

-Made it kind of interesting.

-It's great.

I'm just having a bad day.

-Amy?

-It's our anniversary.

-Five years.

-Five?

That came fast.

And furious.

I'm so crazy, stupid happy.

CROWD SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY

I met a boy.

A great, sweet, gorgeous, cool-ass guy.

WOMAN LAUGHING

Excuse me, miss?

I just want you to be careful

where you put down that monk-brewed Belgian wheat beer...

..because the party's down to three Beast Lights and a bottle of Pucker.

It might attract some desperate characters.

It could. I mean, the Amish are on a Rumspringa.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATION

SHE LAUGHS

They already relieved me of my artisanal meat platter.

Finally, someone tells me how to pronounce that word.

"Meat"?

Yes, "meat." One syllable.

Thank you. Whose beer am I about to drink?

Don't tell me.

Let's see, who's your type?

I don't see you sitting quietly

while he bloviates on his postgrad thesis about Proust.

Uh-oh. Is that him? SHE CHUCKLES

Ironic hipster, so self-aware, he makes everything a joke.

I prefer men who are funny, not "funny."

-What type are you?

-Corn-fed, salt-of-the-earth Missouri guy.

-Missouri?

-Mmm-hmm.

-Cute. Hmm.

-Native New Yorker?

-The world ends at the Hudson.

-What's your name?

-Amy.

Well, Amy, who are you?

A, I'm an award-winning scrimshander.

-B, I'm a moderately influential warlord.

-Hmm.

C, I write personality quizzes for magazines.

OK. Your hands are far too delicate for real scrimshaw work,

and I happen to be a charter subscriber

to Middling Warlord Weekly... so I'd recognise you.

I'm going to go with C.

And you?

Who are you?

I'm the guy to save you from all this awesomeness.

SHE LAUGHS

Oh, so, you write for a men's magazine.

God, does that make you an expert on being a man?

HE CHUCKLES No.

It's what to wear, what to drink.

How to bullshit.

Never with you.

-FLATLY:

-Ha, ha.

-No, I mean it.

-It's hard to believe you.

-Why?

I think it's your chin.

My chin?

-SHE LAUGHS

-Yeah, it's quite villainous.

OK, how's this?

100% true, no bullshit.

OK.

We all move to New York

and we end up living in these little cubby holes, and that's not it.

Come outside. Then, you're in it.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

You have to see this.

-Hey.

-Hey.

I have to kiss you now.

Is that right?

-I can't let you go through a sugar storm unkissed.

-Hmm.

Oh. Wait a second.

There you go.

MOANING

Nick Dunne...

PANTING

..I really like you.

So, is Amy going to do one of those anniversary...

..treasure hunts?

You mean the forced march designed to prove

what an oblivious and uncaring asshole her husband is?

Wow.

Life. I don't remember the point.

Deep Hasbro thoughts.

Spin.

What was the clue last year she got so mad about?

"When your poor Amy has a cold...

"..this dessert just must be sold."

The answer?

I still don't know the answer, Go.

-A few years ago, you'd have known.

-A few years ago, it was fun.

Year one, the traditional gift was paper.

She got me a beautiful notebook.

Told me to go write my novel.

What did you get her?

-A kite.

-Hmm.

-She'd never flown a kite.

-OK.

Anyway. Year four, flowers.

She led me outside to the dying rosebush in the back yard.

-Ugh, that's symbolic.

-Yeah.

What's the gift for five?

-Wood.

-So, what did you get her?

-There's no good gift for wood.

I know! Go home, fuck her brains out, slap her with your penis.

"There's some wood for you, bitch."

HE LAUGHS PHONE RINGS

The Bar.

Why, yes. Hang on one second.

Hey, it's Watchful Wally.

Hey, Walt. What's going on?

Oh. Thanks very much. I'll be right there. All right, bye-bye.

Hey, buddy. What are you doing out here?

Thanks, Walt!

HE GRUNTS

HE SIGHS

Ame?

YELLING: Amy!

Hello?

Come on in.

Hey.

-Mr Dunne.

-Hi.

I'm Detective Rhonda Boney. This is Officer James Gilpin.

We understand there are concerns about your wife.

I don't know where my wife is.

And I came home to this.

Now, I don't panic easily...

..but it's weird, right?

-Mind if we look around?

-Please.

How long have you two been here?

Two years in September. We used to live in New York.

-City?

-Yeah, I was a writer. We were both writers.

Why'd y'all move back here?

My mom got sick.

Oh, I'm sorry. How is she?

She's dead.

I'm so sorry.

HE SIGHS

What do you do now, for work?

My sister Margo and I own The Bar downtown.

Oh, The Bar.

Love the name. Very meta.

Thanks.

Pretty things.

QUIETLY: Stay.

My office, here.

Beautiful dress.

-Date night?

-It's our anniversary.

Hmm.

It's a guest bedroom, there.

Cat's room on the end.

I checked up here.

This is the kitchen, obviously.

This is the, uh...

This is my wife's office.

Amy's office.

Wow. Impressive gal.

Yeah. Should I be concerned?

I remember these.

I loved these books.

Wait a minute.

Your wife is Amazing Amy?

Yeah. She is.

Wow.

Amazing-fucking-Amy is getting fucking married.

That's how the night started.

With me - regular, flawed, real Amy,

jealous, as always, of the golden child.

Perfect, brilliant, Amazing Amy,

who's getting fucking married.

When I was ten, I quit cello.

In the next book, Amazing Amy became a prodigy.

Did you play volleyball?

I got cut, freshman year.

-She made varsity.

-CHUCKLES

When did you have a dog?

SHE got the dog.

Puddles made her more relatable.

Wow.

I love your parents... HE LAUGHS

..but they really can be assholes.

-Nick!

-Sir!

-Hey, thanks for coming, man.

-No problem.

Hey, sweetheart.

Big night for your mom.

It would mean so much if you would talk to a few reporters,

bloggers, give them a little Amy colour.

People want to hear from you.

-We can't stay long.

-Fantastic.

15 minutes, tops.

This is why I have my brownstone.

My trust fund. I know I can't complain.

Your parents literally plagiarised your childhood.

No, they improved upon it,

and then peddled it to the masses.

I thought you were going to wear white to match the wedding theme.

-I thought that would be creepy.

-HE CHUCKLES

"If it's worth doing, it's worth doing..."

Hold up! I know how this ends. Don't tell me.

You're very cute, Nick.

Amy, you know what would make Dad's night.

Oh, I'm on it.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

I love having strangers pick at my scabs.

I'm curious whether

it's difficult for you to see Amazing Amy heading down the aisle.

And this big party celebrating this fictional wedding.

Because it's my understanding you are not married.

Is that correct?

Correct.

Amazing Amy has always been one step ahead of me.

Excuse me. I'm sorry, I just have a few questions.

-HE SIGHS

-It's you.

I'm here in a strictly journalistic capacity.

Now, you had the distinct pleasure

of dating Nick Dunne for how long?

-Two magical years.

-"Two magical years."

In the course of that time, you've had the opportunity

to perform such gracious gestures as

not correcting Nick when he pronounced "quinoa" as "kween-o-a."

An understandable mistake.

-He also thought it was a fish.

-He thinks Velveeta is a cheese.

You also manage to appear shocked and delighted

when Nick's elderly mother breaks into an impromptu rendition

of New York, New York, every time she sees you.

# These bag of bone shoes... #

That's just frightening.

You also bought Nick his very first pair of scissors.

And matching stapler.

Amy Elliott, you are more than amazing.

You are brilliant, yet entirely un-snobby.

You challenge me. You surprise me.

And, fun fact for the readers...

..you have a world-class vagina.

REPORTERS CHUCKLE

SHE LAUGHS

My colleagues tell me that you are not yet married.

Is that correct?

I'm not.

Isn't it time we fixed that?

And then...

..the night wasn't so bad any more.

INDISTINCT CHATTER ON POLICE RADIO

And it's done. Crossed off the list.

Now, normally, we would not treat this

as a missing persons case so quick,

but given the scene at your house,

and given our spike in violent crime of late,

we are going to take this very, very seriously.

-OK. Good.

-We've got forensics over at your place.

You got somewhere to stay?

-I could stay at my sister's.

-OK.

We're tracking Amy's phone, her credit cards.

We will organise searches, put up flyers.

We're going to hold a press conference tomorrow.

You're having a press conference?

I want to get the word out, right?

Yeah, it's just, all of a sudden,

I feel like I'm on a Law & Order episode.

HE VOCALISES THEME SONG

Time is of the essence in these cases.

But, that said, do you want to wait and call a lawyer?

Absolutely not. I just want to help.

So, you and Amy have been here two years.

-You tend bar...

-I own The Bar.

And I teach creative writing at MVCC.

-No kids?

-Not yet.

So, what does Amy do most days?

A woman with all those degrees, what does she do?

I don't know. She keeps busy.

Doing what?

She's a voracious reader.

So, she's always got a book in her hand.

Well, days can get long.

I know a few housewives,

that evening glass of wine starts coming at noon.

Or prescription pills.

Just last week, we had a soccer mom.

Nice lady. Got her teeth kicked in over some OxyContin.

Ever since that mall went bust, half the town is out of work.

We cannot keep up with the drug violence.

I'm pretty sure that's not it.

Has Amy got friends we can talk to?

Um...

..no, not really.

No friends? This whole town?

She was very close with my mom, before she passed away.

You know, we have a pretty serious homeless problem

in our neighbourhood.

I think maybe you guys should check that out.

We'll look into that.

So, you got to The Bar around 11 today.

-Where were you before that? Just to cross that out.

-Well, I was home.

I left at 9.30, I got a cup of coffee, a newspaper.

I went to Sawyer Beach and read the news.

Did you visit with anyone there?

I kind of go to Sawyer Beach for the solitude.

So, your wife has no friends here.

Is she kinda standoffish?

Ivy League? Rubs people the wrong way?

-She's from New York.

-Oh.

She's complicated. She's got very high standards.

Type A?

That can make you crazy if you're not like that.

You seem pretty laid-back.

Type B.

Speaking of which, Amy's blood type?

God, I don't know. I'd have to look it up at the house.

You don't know if she has friends, you don't know what she does all day,

and you don't know your wife's blood type.

Sure y'all are married?

Uh... Maybe it's type O.

-Where are her folks? New York?

-Yeah.

Can they get here time for this press conference tomorrow?

Tomorrow? I have no idea. I haven't talked to them.

You haven't called your wife's parents yet?

You can't get a signal in this building. I've been in here talking to you.

Well, call them, please, Nick. Now.

Fine.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

Should I know my wife's blood type?

-QUIETLY:

-No.

I apologise, Marybeth. I didn't know what was going on.

Now I'm at the station

and the cops are at the house,

and it's serious and I'm calling you.

There's a lot of things that are being juggled right now.

I'm standing right next to Detective Rhonda Boney...

..who's the lead investigator on this and she's...

HE EXHALES DEEPLY

My mother-in-law would like to speak with you.

This is Detective Boney.

I want to go home.

I don't know why I have to be here.

I don't want to be here. I want to go home.

Dad?

This is my father. What's going on?

Really? You're Nick Dunne?

We've been trying to get a hold of you all afternoon.

-I've been right there. My wife is missing.

-Bitch.

-Don't.

Your father wandered out of Comfort Hill after lunch.

We found him walking Route 79, disoriented.

We've been trying to call you for the last...

I don't get a cell signal in this building.

I've been sitting 20 feet away from you.

-Sir, please don't take that tone with me.

-Stupid, dumb, ugly bitch.

Dad, stop.

You want to drive him home?

I think that would be wise. Thanks.

ROCK MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO

HE SIGHS

-PHONE:

-This voice mailbox is currently full.

Fuck.

Oh, get your fuckin' hands off me.

Thanks.

Everyone told us and told us and told us -

marriage is hard work.

And compromise and more work.

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter."

"When young Amy's hope did wane...

"..she wandered here..."

Well, it's not true. Not for me and Nick.

"..in search of Jane..."

With us, two years...

..it's just good.

..Austen. Hmm.

You were an alienated teen and only Elizabeth Bennet understood you.

Look at that.

My God. BOTH LAUGH

You naughty minx.

Well, technically, we are supposed to fuck at the next stop.

Yeah, in keeping with tradition.

But I might be willing to bend the rules this once.

God bless Jane Austen.

AMY MOANS

NICK GRUNTS

SHE MOANS LOUDLY HE SHUSHES

BOTH CHUCKLE

AMY LAUGHS

I'm enthusiastic.

Look at that. It's confirmed by the...

Oh, thank you.

Year two. Cotton.

We had that joke that our sex was too good for ordinary.

So, these are 2,000 thread-count...

We're so cute.

I want to punch us in the face.

That's pretty great. I mean, that is pretty great.

Did they ask if you wanted a lawyer?

I don't need a lawyer. Here, I'll do this.

Well, did they ask personal stuff about Amy?

You know, they asked,

-why didn't she have any friends?

-What did you say?

-I said she was complicated.

-Nick!

Everyone knows "complicated" is code for "bitch."

PHONE VIBRATES

-SHE SIGHS

-Oh, God. I feel sick.

Thanks.

It's so bizarre.

It seems like the kind of thing that would happen to Amy.

She always attracts...

Drama?

You can say it. It's just me and you.

Just because I don't like to be around Amy

doesn't mean I don't care about her.

Anyway, whoever took her is bound to bring her back.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

Detective? Excuse me.

I'm Noelle Hawthorne. I'm Amy's best friend.

Well, great. Where do you live, Noelle?

Five doors down. 1032.

Wonderful. I would love to talk to you.

Can I come by in half an hour?

-Y'all know anything yet?

-I'm sorry.

I got guys on the clock in here.

But you give me 30 minutes.

But that's usually bath time.

Well, we'll talk in between shampoos.

INDISTINCT POLICE RADIO CHATTER

All right. So, what do you got?

It was definitely blood spatter you saw in the kitchen.

Normally, kitchen, knives, food prep.

Not that weird, but that is awfully high.

-So, I'm going to order a luminol sweep.

-Well, OK.

PHONE RINGING

Mmm, interesting.

What's that?

House is rented in her name.

Car's in her name.

Credit cards, utilities, phone bill, all in her name.

Even his bar's in her name.

I don't know that that's so surprising.

-No. But it is humiliating.

-What you got?

It's with her, er...unmentionables.

Well, we have our first clue.

SNORING

I have to take a shower.

No, don't. You've been up all night.

You want to look like you've been up all night.

HE GROANS

Hey, be careful today, OK?

That's a weird thing to say.

Well, when you're upset, you bottle up.

You can seem angry, like...

Please don't say "like Dad."

-Or else you swing into your momma's-boy charm offensive and that can feel glib.

-Perfect.

I'll balance on the exact fucking edge of your emotional razor.

OK. Just be...

Myself?

-RADIO:

-..sponsoring a raffle to benefit West County 4H...

..and raffling season tickets for Mizzou football.

Buy your tickets at the Wing Hut or local Tri-State tyre stores.

Your in-laws made it.

HE SIGHS

-Hi, Rand.

-Hey, man.

-I'm Detective Boney.

I'm the twin. Margo.

We played tennis yesterday, Nick.

I just can't get over it.

Marybeth, I am really sorry.

I knew you never should have moved back here.

We didn't have a lot of choice.

We are all worried. We are all scared.

But we are all here now.

And we will find Amy, together.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

-Should I just go first, and then you guys can say something?

-Good.

As you know, my wife, Amy Elliott Dunne...

..disappeared from our home on the morning of July 5th...

..under suspicious circumstances.

Louder!

If anyone out there, uh, has any information...

..please come forward.

Thank you. CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICK

I'm Rand Elliott. My wife, Marybeth Elliott.

Should I have said my name?

Amy is our only child.

She's bright, she's beautiful. She's kind.

She really is Amazing Amy.

You know, there are millions of people out there

who grew up with her and care about her.

We care about her, we love her.

And we just want her back.

Amy is a decorated scholar.

She forged a successful career in journalism.

She returned here to her husband's hometown

and she made a life in her adopted home.

Now, Amy needs your help.

We're establishing a volunteer headquarters at the Drury Lodge.

We have a hotline - 1-855-4-AMY-TIPS.

And our website is wvvw.FindAmazingAmy.com.

-Mr Dunne!

-Mr Elliott!

OVERLAPPING SHOUTING

Mr Dunne, any signs of foul play?

REPORTERS CLAMOUR

Mr Elliott, when was the last time you spoke to your daughter?

Smile.

That's all for now. Thank you.

Amy is the kind of girl who attracts admirers.

-Right, Nick?

-Yeah, definitely.

And we've had instances

-where things got...

-Scary.

Do you know about Desi Collings?

-Yeah, I know all about Desi Collings.

-He was obsessed.

He attempted suicide after Amy broke up with him sophomore year.

We had to file a restraining order.

This would be high school? 20 years ago?

But he recently moved to St Louis. That's just two hours away.

To be fair, he is from St Louis.

We also have Tommy O'Hara.

This is only eight years ago, in New York.

She broke up with him, he got very physical.

-She filed charges.

-That was the charge?

Sexual assault, threat, battery, what?

I only know it was bad.

-I didn't know this.

-OK.

Thank you.

Uh, anything more recent?

Not that I know of.

Hey, Nick? You got a minute?

Yeah.

Imagine our confusion.

A missing persons case and in your wife's dressing room,

we find an envelope marked "clue."

That's for our anniversary.

My wife does these treasure hunts.

I'm hoping you can tell me what this means.

You want to solve Amy's treasure hunt?

It'll help me track Amy's movements before she disappeared.

Of course. OK.

"Although this spot couldn't be tighter...

"..it's a cosy room for my favourite writer."

I know this one!

Although this spot couldn't be any tighter...

..it's a cosy room for my favourite writer.

After-school meeting - don't mind if I do.

Maybe I'll teach you a thing or two.

Well, well. What does it say?

Clue two.

"Hey, handsome man, let's go undercover.

"You'll be the spy, and I'll be his lover.

"Let's head on over to the little brown house.

"We'll play hot, doting husband, sweet, loving spouse."

These yours?

No.

But you read the first clue.

"Randy professor, naughty student."

I blush.

Me and my ex just swapped cards.

Where's this little brown house?

I have no idea.

ALARM SYSTEM BEEPING

CONTINUOUS BEEP

ALARM BLARES

PHONE RINGS ALARM CONTINUES

Hello?

Nicholas Dunne. ALARM BLARING INCREASES

Under my father's name, William Dunne.

SIRENS WAIL

My wife's first pet? Is this necessary?

Can you just turn the bell...

Yeah, I know. It's, uh... It's, uh...

Uh...

It's "Puddles," right? Or is it "Poodles"?

We're good.

-ALARM CEASES

-Hello, stranger.

Fancy meeting you here.

It's your dad's house, right?

-Are you following me?

-What you doing?

Like you said, it's my dad's house.

I come by once a week, make sure the place hasn't burned down.

But it looks OK.

I'll walk you out.

You know...

..I thought maybe this was the little brown house.

From the clue.

Nope. Still blue.

CAR ENGINE STARTS

Picture me, I'm a girl who's very, very bad.

I need to be punished, and by "punished," I mean "had."

It's where you keep goodies for anniversary five.

"So open the door, and look alive."

Bitch! HORN HONKS

Want to test your marriage for weak spots?

Add one recession...

..subtract two jobs.

It's surprisingly effective.

Promise me we'll never be like them.

Like who?

All those awful couples we know.

Those wives who treat their men like dancing monkeys...

..to be trained and paraded.

Husbands who treat their wives like the highway patrol...

..to be out-foxed and avoided.

I think I'm going to be laid off.

We're in a recession. If it happens, we'll deal with it.

I'll probably be next.

We have each other.

Everything else is background noise.

You are exceptional.

My turn.

-My parents' publisher dropped them and they're in debt up to their ears.

-That's terrible.

And they need to borrow from my trust fund.

How much?

Almost a million.

That's almost all of it.

This is where you say, "Everything else is background noise."

Amy, if you're laid off and I'm laid off...

I said I'd do it.

Without talking to me?

-Well, it's...

-Your call.

..their money, technically.

HE SIGHS

You know what? You're right.

Everything else is just background noise.

LOCKS CLICK

Hey.

More games?

Yeah, I just wanted to shoot some folks.

MAN SCREAMS IN GAME

What's the laptop for?

Laptop-ing.

Oh, I see.

You can give your parents 879,000 without talking to me...

..but God forbid I buy a video game without getting your permission.

You are spending a lot.

You don't trust me. You don't trust my judgment.

You certainly don't trust my intention.

What are you talking about?

That's the basic tenet of a prenup, isn't it?

Why are you throwing that in my face again?

-Because it's easy to throw.

-Nick, I don't get it.

I don't get why you're daring me

to be someone I don't want to be.

The nagging shrew. The controlling bitch.

-I'm not that person. I'm your wife.

-HE GROANS

I'm sorry.

I just don't know how to do this. I've never not had a job.

I flipped burgers, I painted houses.

You'll get another job.

PHONE RINGS

Hi, Go.

What? Hold on. What?

-And suddenly...

-Slow down, what is it?

..I knew everything was about to get worse.

OK, tell me what's wrong.

INDISTINCT EXCITED SHOUTING

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

-Bless you, Nick.

-Father.

Hey, Tom. Mayor!

Nick, good to see you.

Good to see you.

Hey, guys, hey.

-Jodie.

-Nick.

-Oh, we'll find her.

-Mmm-hmm.

You look like hammered shit.

Oh, thank you.

You ever see that guy in the glasses before?

Don't worry. We videotape everybody that comes in and out of these things.

-I mean, you tend to get a lot of...

-Do-gooders?

Freaks.

Hey, I meant to ask you.

Noelle Hawthorne?

She lives on your street. Amy's best friend.

I've never heard the name Noelle Hawthorne.

She and her husband have triplets.

Oh.

Yeah, we might say hi to them on the street.

But "best friend"? No.

Excuse me, one sec.

He acted like Noelle was a complete stranger.

Of course he did.

Look, these two are yours.

Oh, look. He's being a good guy...

..so everybody can see him being a good guy.

-Oh, you really don't like him, do you?

-What's to like?

HE SIGHS

PHONE VIBRATES

-PHONE:

-This mailbox is currently full. Press one to...

Nick? I just wanted to introduce myself. My name's Shawna Kelly.

I am so sorry for your troubles.

-Thank you. That's kind.

-Are you remembering to eat?

Well, a lot of cold cuts.

I'm going to fix you up my world-famous chicken Frito pie.

That's very kind and very unnecessary.

You have to keep your strength.

Would you...

-..say, "Chicken Frito pie!"

-PHONE CLICKS

SHE GIGGLES

Um...

You know what?

Would you delete that picture for me?

-It's a nice photo.

-I know it is.

But just do me a favour.

Will you?

Would you go ahead and please delete that picture?

You just press... SHE GASPS

What is wrong with you?

Could you please not share that with anyone?

I will share it with whomever I please.

-Dude.

-Yeah?

Marybeth is pissed.

Why?

Marybeth?

It's like you're the goddamn Homecoming King.

It was important to my mother that I be polite,

I be considerate, I be a gentleman.

It looked like you were having fun.

WHISPERS: I am in a nightmare!

All I'm trying to do is be nice

to the people who are volunteering to help find Amy.

You're right.

And I'm sorry.

My God, this place literally smells like faeces.

INDISTINCT CHATTER OVER RADIO

In your searches, did you find any golf clubs, real fancy?

No.

How about a brand-new Stratocaster?

No, nothing like that.

Well, all right.

How big's that TV? It's not 65-inch.

No, it's nowhere near that.

OK.

-Kibble?

-Excuse me?

He asked me to feed his cat.

-Oh, I saw some in the pantry.

-DOORBELL RINGING

Detective Boney, Officer Gilpin? Noelle Hawthorne!

I know y'all are in there!

Would you please escort Miss Hawthorne

and her children back out to the street?

Detective Boney!

Just remind her it is a possible crime scene.

BLOWS WHISTLE

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

Look at that pie-eating grin...

..from a guy whose wife is missing.

-How are you doing?

-Terrific.

How's Marybeth?

She's a wreck.

And you?

Awesome.

Hey...

..have you told me everything?

Of course. EVERYTHING?

Why would you even ask me that?

Ever since you walked into The Bar that morning

Amy went missing, you seem...

-..off.

-I am off.

Everybody's examining me and projecting their shit on me.

All I want is to come over here, have a beer with you,

and not be judged.

Can we do that?

-Of course.

-HE SIGHS

You know what I keep thinking?

-If Mom were here?

-Yeah. Like I'm 12.

Nick, Mom would fix it.

I'm going to go Benadryl myself to sleep.

-Love you.

-Love you.

So, here's a strange, new sentence.

I am a Missourian.

Mmm, bye, Dad.

No money, no jobs, no prospects.

And then, we heard from Go.

Mama Maureen,

stage 4 breast cancer.

So, we moved to Missouri.

I don't mind.

I just wish he'd asked.

GO LAUGHING

Nick is happy to be home.

But I don't know if he's happy I'm with him.

I feel like something he loaded by mistake.

Something to be jettisoned, if necessary.

Something disposable.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATION

I feel like I could disappear.

PHONE VIBRATES

LOCKS CLICK

Oh, my God!

-I saw you on TV.

-OK. SHUSHING

-It's so crazy.

-Yeah, I know.

-She just vanished?

-She's just gone.

-I've been so worried about you.

-Where have you been?

I called you a hundred times. You gotta pick up your phone!

-Rehearsals.

-What?

Godspell.

QUIETLY: My sister's asleep in the other room.

-I needed to see you.

-I know this is a bad idea.

Can you at least tell me you love me?

I do love you, but we have to be really careful right now.

Oh, I've been so scared.

Between rehearsals?

-You told me I needed to have my own life.

-I know.

We need to stop.

I need you.

Touch me.

BOTH MOANING

Stop it. Come here.

Sit down.

OK.

Did you, by any chance, tell anybody anything about us?

Even in texting, or on Facebook.

Facebook? I use the disposable phone.

You buy my presents in cash. I'm not stupid, Nick.

I know, sweetie. Did you leave a pair of red panties in my office?

I don't know. Maybe. They better be mine.

Sweetheart, think.

I don't know. I'd have to check my red-panty inventory.

Andie, I need you to take this seriously, OK?

This is the last time we're going to see each other, until...

Until when?

Until it's safe.

You were going to get a divorce.

Never say that out loud again.

OK. I'm sorry.

I don't want to fight.

I just want to be with you.

Andie, oh, please...

That's all I want.

I can't.

It's our last time together.

Let's make the most of it.

Real quick, but then you have to go.

My husband has come undone.

We moved to Missouri to save Maureen...

..but as it turns out, we couldn't.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

It means a lot that you came.

We took a hit on the brownstone

and I used the last of my trust fund to buy him a bar.

So far, it's just costing money.

PANTING

Nick uses me for sex when he wants.

PANTING

-Otherwise, I don't exist.

-Whoo!

We should go to Outback tonight.

That would be nice.

Last night, I went from desperate to pathetic.

I became someone I don't even like.

The kind of woman I used to mock.

You're out so much.

-I know.

-Stay home.

-I can't, I'm already late.

-Then, can I come?

You would hate it.

It's a bunch of my dorky high-school friends.

Do our code. No bullshit.

I thought we weren't going to be that couple.

OK, bye.

-Hey, I've been thinking.

-Yeah?

Something positive.

Maybe it's time.

Now is literally the worst time.

It would be a new start for us.

And for me, I would have a real purpose here.

A child is not a hobby.

Not a hobby.

An inspiration.

We could have had this fight four hours ago. I'm late.

I didn't know it was going to be a fight.

You really want to be the couple that has a baby

to save their marriage?

"Save"?

Reboot, retool, rekindle, whatever!

-And you're going to walk out the door now?

-Yeah!

You're a fucking coward.

No, it can't go on like this.

-Oh, really?

-I won't.

-You won't?

You won't? Why, it's not good enough for you?

-It's not even close!

-You stupid bitch!

What scared me wasn't that he'd pushed me.

What scared me was how much he wanted to hurt me more.

What scared me was that I'd finally realised...

..I am frightened of my own husband.

BOTTLES RATTLE

SIRENS WAIL

You want me to call for backup?

Nah, I'll protect you.

INDISTINCT CHATTER OVER RADIO

Jesus.

They ought to burn this place down.

Seems like folks are trying.

You really think this is anything?

Cross it off the list.

INDISTINCT MUTTERING

Hey, Jason.

What's up, Rhonda?

"..and dedicated to the proposition that all men..."

Have you seen this girl around here?

Why do you ask?

She was reported missing.

"..and so dedicated, can long endure."

Yeah. I remember her.

What did she want? Weed, pills?

She wanted a gun.

I told her it's not my thing.

I felt bad, though. She seemed really desperate.

She said it needed to be small, so she could keep it close.

Are you sure this is her?

You don't forget a girl like that in here.

She was all in pink.

It was Valentine's Day.

For Valentine's Day, I thought I'd buy a gun.

That is how crazy I've become.

Nick wants me gone, but he won't ask for a divorce.

In his mind, I'm the owner of his bar, his only line of credit.

The bitch with the prenup.

I could go home to my parents...

..but I'd have to tell them the truth.

And I don't even know if I believe the truth.

WATER RUNNING

Can I really think Nick would hurt me?

I'm being paranoid. Crazy.

It's just...

..I'd sleep better with a gun.

NICK SIGHS

Oh, shit.

QUIETLY: Wake up, baby. My sister's going to come out here.

-Sorry to rush you.

-It's OK.

Here. Let me help you. OK.

Just get that. GRUNTING

Be careful.

Very careful.

-I'm all right.

-Here you go.

Promise me we'll talk every day.

OK, we will. Promise.

Every day, Nick, or I'll go crazy.

-Don't go crazy.

-OK.

You fucking idiot.

You fucking asshole! You fucking lied to my fucking face!

I'm sorry. REFRIGERATOR DOOR SLAMS

How old is she?

She's in her early 20s.

How long?

-A year and a half.

-You lied to me for over a year?

Oh, if I told you, you would have made me stop.

It's so fucking small.

You're a liar and a cheat! You're just like Dad!

-How did you even meet her?

-She's one of my students.

-I thought writers hated cliches.

-Oh, I'm not a writer.

"Oh, boo-hoo, I got laid off. I guess I'll fuck a teenager."

It wasn't like that, OK? You have no idea how shitty it was with Amy,

how fuckin' terrible she made me feel.

Flyover Boy. I would get knots in my stomach,

just coming home, knowing she would be sitting there,

dissatisfied, before I even walked in the fuckin' door.

This is so bad.

If anybody finds out, you're totally fucked.

Boney found a pair of panties in my office,

where, occasionally, Andie and I... I don't know what the fuck it means.

Are they Super-Twat's?

Her name is Andie.

She's not entirely sure.

So we are dealing with a 20-year-old

who isn't sure where she leaves her undies?

If they're not Andie's, that means that they're Amy's

and she left them there for me to find.

Nick, I was scared for you before and now, I'm fucking petrified.

We're having a vigil tonight for your missing wife,

and this morning, you're kissing your college girlfriend goodbye!

Can you imagine?

Have you watched television lately?

Cable news is all over your shit.

I mean, what is wrong with this barkeep?

His wife's nowhere to be found,

and here's Nick Dunne for you, flirting.

-Cute pic, huh?

-Who is that?

Some fucking tragedy groupie.

-Who the fuck is that?

-I don't know.

She was trying to give me a casserole.

On the show today, we have defence attorney, Tanner Bolt - patron saint

-to wife-killers everywhere.

-LAUGHING

Tanner Bolt, would you actually consider defending Nick Dunne?

Let me just say, as always, Ellen, thank you for such a warm welcome.

But of course I'd defend Nick Dunne.

Listen, just because this guy isn't walking around weeping,

that doesn't mean that he's not hurting.

Tanner, the hallmark of a sociopath is a lack of empathy.

But the truth is, you'd have to be a sociopath

to behave normally in this situation,

because it's the most abnormal situation in the world.

Tanner, are you trying to tell me that this photo

is remotely in the realm of acceptable behaviour?

I'm so sick of being picked apart by women.

You need to hire Tanner Bolt.

I don't deserve this.

Innocent until proven guilty.

That's exactly what you deserve.

Go home, Nick.

Hey, buddy.

TRUCK BRAKING OUTSIDE

I can't believe we haven't arrested this guy.

We're not going to arrest anybody

just because some blonde dunce says so.

Why are you going so easy on him? You got a crush?

One, I am conducting an investigation, not a witch-hunt.

And, two, don't talk to me that way, ever.

She was trying to buy a gun.

We don't know who or what was scaring her, Gil.

Give me the update.

No drug angles panned out yet, so cross that off the list.

I talked to the nurses who care for Nick's father.

The guy's a bastard, but weak as a kitten, so cross that off the list.

-Hey.

-Hey.

So, luminol lit up the kitchen like the 4th of July.

-Whoa.

-Yeah.

The blood is profuse.

It is Amy's, type B, and we should have DNA soon.

Thoughts on a weapon?

Trajectory indicates blunt force.

Maybe a club or a two-by-four. HE WHISTLES

She fell there, but I doubt she got back up.

Amy's medical records come in?

No, we'll have them later tonight.

My wife says he's a killer.

Well, if Tiffany says...

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

Hey.

Hey.

Thank you all for coming out.

Hey, Donnie, how are you?

Rich, thank you so much.

INDISTINCT CONSOLATIONS

-Hey.

-Hmm.

CROWD MURMURING

NICK CLEARS THROAT

Thank you, folks.

Thank you for being here tonight.

It just means the world to our family.

And to Amy.

As you all know...

..my wife, Amy Elliott Dunne...

..disappeared three days ago.

And I want to implore anyone who has any information at all,

please come forward. Help us.

-So hot.

-Ew! He is so creepy.

I want to say something,

because I think some of you might be wondering,

and are too polite to ask.

I had nothing to do with the disappearance of my wife.

I'm cooperating with the police.

I haven't hired a lawyer.

I have nothing to hide.

Amy is my soul mate.

She is brilliant,

she's charming, and wise.

I love you, Amy.

-QUIETLY:

-Asshole.

I love my wife...

..so much.

And I may not behave for the cameras the way they want me to...

..and if they want to punish me for that, that's OK.

But I just want to ask you in the media, please, harass me,

but don't harass the people of this town.

If you need to mock somebody, mock me.

Nick!

But please don't turn this investigation into a circus.

Where's your wife, Nick?

Let the police do their jobs.

What did you do to your pregnant wife?

CROWD GASPS

Did you tell them that, Nick?

Did you tell them Amy was six weeks pregnant?

CROWD MUTTER

Thank you for your support tonight. Let's find Amy.

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

Go ahead, if you guys want to say something.

CROWD SHOUTING

Gil, go, go.

-Nick, where are you going?

-Stop him!

No questions right now. Thank you.

Why are you running away?

Don't run.

Everybody, stay back.

SIRENS WAIL

REPORTERS CLAMOUR

Guys, come on. You know better.

Get off the grass, get down to the curb.

-Hey, Gil...

-On it.

All right. All right, y'all heard her. No pictures.

Hello? DOOR SHUTS

Hello?

Fuck.

You scared me. Want a drink?

Did you know she was pregnant?

I told you, Noelle Hawthorne is fucking crazy.

She doesn't even know Amy.

They look like pretty good friends to me.

DOOR CLOSES

Look, I don't know. But it certainly doesn't prove that she's pregnant.

-We have her medical records coming.

-Good.

-So, let's talk while we wait.

Let's start over here. The scene of the crime.

You see, we've seen dozens of home invasions.

Dozens and dozens.

This area right here, it looked wrong from the second we saw it.

The whole thing looked staged. Watch this.

And yet, they remained upright

throughout this life-and-death struggle?

I don't know. What do you want me to say?

Did you do any housekeeping the day your wife went missing?

-No.

-Because our guys did a luminol test.

And I'm sorry to tell you, but that kitchen lit up.

Amy lost a lot of blood in there, Nick. A lot.

-Oh, my God.

-Yeah, and then somebody mopped it up.

Oh... Wait a second. Why would they mop up the blood

if they're trying to stage a crime scene?

No blood and no body suggests kidnapping.

It tells us, look at people OUTSIDE the house.

Like these homeless you keep mentioning.

A pool of blood and no body suggests homicide.

It tells us to look at people INSIDE the house.

-Which is what we're doing here, Nick.

-I see.

So, how was your marriage, Nick?

-Because right now, all we got is Noelle.

-She says, "Not good."

Gil, what do you and your wife argue about?

-What pisses you off?

-Oh, money, lack thereof.

Me and my ex, it's the same.

I mention that because we got a look at your finances, Nick.

117,000 in credit card debt.

-What?

-I pulled up some of the merchandise.

There are these fun little splurges.

I didn't buy any of this stuff. I don't even golf!

I do! You bought great clubs.

I like the robot dog.

This is identity theft! This is a felony!

We need to find out who did this!

All right. Let's talk about life insurance.

Because in April, you bumped up Amy's life insurance to 1.2 million.

Yes, I did. That was her idea. She wanted me to.

You filed the paperwork.

-Because she told me to!

-Whoa!

-PHONE RINGING

-Hold on a sec.

Yeah? OK.

For sure?

All right.

INDISTINCT CLAMOURING OUTSIDE

She was pregnant.

This is insane.

So, my question becomes...

I don't want to talk to you again, ever...

..without a lawyer.

Margo!

OVERLAPPING SHOUTING

Hey.

-Just hold on a second. Let me finish.

-Nick?

I hear you, I hear you. I was as surprised as...

I know you're upset. I had no idea she was pregnant.

Listen, I thought so, too, but evidently that wasn't...

You want to know the truth?

The truth is, Amy didn't want kids.

Well, I'm as surprised as...

You told me YOU didn't want kids.

SIGHS I was trying to put a good face on.

Then, suddenly, you've got a pregnant wife.

That's a problem for you.

Especially when you factor in the secret teenage girlfriend.

Oh, stop watching Ellen Abbott!

You have to fucking talk to me!

I didn't tell you that she didn't want kids

because she didn't want me to.

Because it would have just been another reason for you to hate her.

And we had enough of those already! It was easier to just...

-Lie to me?

-I wanted kids!

When we first moved here, I went to a fertility clinic!

-It didn't work?

-I did my part!

-Masturbate.

-When it came time for Amy to do her thing, all of a sudden it was like...

"Well, I don't know. Maybe. No, thanks."

Now, who would believe you?

All right.

SHE SCOFFS

This is a letter from the clinic,

notifying me that they're going to destroy my sample,

unless I contact them.

So, I gave it to Amy.

The next day, I saw it in the trash.

But you were already with Andie by then, right?

I wanted a baby with Amy.

A year ago, Amy being pregnant

would have been the best thing ever!

"When your poor Amy has a cold, this dessert just..."

This is the clue you couldn't solve.

Yeah.

A letter from Desi.

That creepy boyfriend of Amy's?

It was the fucking rich guy who would do anything for her.

It just kept hanging over my head. It was disgusting.

Your prenup?

Nick, why have you kept this stuff?

It's like a little box of hate.

I don't know, Go! Maybe I hate her!

I love you no matter what.

But you need to tell me.

Tell you what?

What are you asking me?

Are you asking me if I killed my wife, Go?

Is that what you're asking me? If I murdered my wife?

I would never ask you that!

Margo!

DOOR SLAMS SHUT

CLAMOURING CONTINUES

Don't walk on the glass.

GROANING Oh!

You have no clue, do you?

HE SIGHS

Why was he here that night?

His wife is missing. Why come here?

-HE SIGHS

-Who cares?

Rhonda, we got this.

Let's make the arrest.

-Do you know how hard it is to make a murder case without a body?

-No.

Well, it's incredibly hard.

So, I want one last thing.

What's that?

I want a body.

Picture me, I'm a girl who's very, very bad.

Be careful.

I need to be punished, and by "punished," I mean "had."

Fuck.

It's where you keep goodies for anniversary five.

So, open the door...

Punish. Wood. Beach.

..and look alive.

Punish. Wood.

Wood.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS

PANTING