“Gone Girl” goes to some very dark places. However, it has an element of satire that makes the entire film more entertaining. “Gone Girl” examines the role that the media plays in shaping the narrative around kidnapping and murder cases, particularly those where the victim is a white woman. Nick finds himself painted as a villain in the public eye, and Affleck does a great job at showing why he is so uncomfortable around the press. You can laugh at “Gone Girl,” but it’ll make you second guess yourself for a moment. Can a movie that is this disturbing also be hilarious?
The film “Thoroughbreds” is another unusual crime comedy that mixes humor and thrills seamlessly. The film focuses on two teenage girls, who are basically polar opposites. Lily Reynolds (Anya Taylor-Joy) is highly emotional; she breaks down after enduring only a little bit of stress. By contrast, Amanda (Olivia Cooke) has seemingly cut herself off from emotions. Lily becomes Amanda’s tutor, and over time, their friendship blossoms. When both girls grow irritated by the obnoxious behavior of Lily’s stepfather, Mark (Paul Sparks), they hatch a plan to kill him.
Although it centers on a murder, “Thoroughbreds” finds humor in its central dynamic. Over time, Lily and Amanda begin to adopt each other’s personalities, and their dynamic grows even more complicated when they decide to blackmail the drug dealer, Tim (Anton Yelchin), into helping them. Yelchin adds even more humor in one of his last performances before his tragic death.