Rosamund Pike could be a serious contender at next year’s Oscars, thanks to her star making turn opposite Ben Affleck in Gone Girl. In the film, which hits cinemas on Friday (October 3rd), Pike plays Amy Dunne, the wife of Affleck who mysteriously goes missing on the couple’s fifth wedding anniversary.

Rosamund PikeRosamund Pike attends the Gone Girl world premiere

While David Fincher’s adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel has generally been impressing the critics, it’s the performance of the 35 year old British actress which has really stood out. The former Bond girl has captivated the critics with her portrayal of Amy, while putting her name firmly in the running for an Academy Award nomination.

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Writing in the San Jose Mercury News, critic Randy Myers describes Pike as “a revelation,” adding, "The actress ... demonstrates versatility with compelling eyes that can instantly switch from innocent to detached. Oscar consideration is certainly a possibility for her.”

Vox’s Todd VanDerWerff is similarly enchanted by Amy, writing, “It's Pike whom audiences will be talking about and arguing about long after they've screened the film. She seizes hold of Flynn's conception of a woman slowly losing control over her own narrative with gusto, and Fincher reacts splendidly.”

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While most criticism of the film has been due to its somewhat complicated plot and many swerves, Pike’s performance is never called under question. “In a movie of subtle tones and wild swerves, Pike expertly mixes a cocktail of hot and cold blood. She is the Amazing Amy you could fall for, till death do you part,” writes Time Magazine’s Richard Corliss.

ben affleck in gone girlBen Affleck is under suspicion in Gone Girl

The Sydney Morning Herald’s Jake Wilson feels similarly writing, “floating through the narrative like a ghost, [Pike] embodies the aloofness that is both the film's strength and its weakness.

Gone Girl is in UK cinemas from today (October 2nd) and hits US theatres tomorrow.