Nick Dunne
Nick is the protagonist of the movie, and also the key suspect in the death of his wife. His is the most intriguing situation in the movie in that he begins as the perpetrator of a horrible murder and gradually becomes the victim. Nick's life and character suggest a propensity for violence against women as he was raised in an extremely misogynistic environment; his father was consistently cruel to his mother and hated women in general. Nick has a twin sister to whom he is close and from whom he has learned how to treat women with respect and dignity.
Nick is married, ostensibly happily, but it transpires that the marriage has been unraveling for quite some time, and rather than dealing with this situation by talking to his wife or suggesting counseling for them both he decides to cheat on Amy and have an affair. This decision turns out to be the most impactful of his life, although he is unaware of this at the time, as it is the catalyst for Amy's scheme and his being viewed as a man who murdered his wife.
Amy Dunne
Amy is beautiful and seems to be one of those women who does it all, but her classically attractive appearance masks a terrifying sociopath capable of anything underneath. Like many women who have been cheated on, and are extremely hurt by it, Amy wants revenge, but she takes her idea of revenge further than the average scorned woman would. She is the inspiration for the children's series of "Amazing Amy" books penned by her parents and followed them into writing as a career. Although on the face of it she is a modern woman who sees no difference in male and female roles in a marriage, she finds that she does expect Nick to support them, and when both are laid off, and can no longer afford to live in New York City, she finds herself become resentful that he is unable to find a job that will keep her in the manner she has become accustomed to.
Amy is a paradox in that she is the victim at the beginning of the movie, and the perpetrator of the crime at the end.
Rhonda Boney
It is Rhonda who takes a first cursory look around the Dunne home and spots a number of circumstantial pieces of evidence that convince her that Amy is not missing, but dead, and that Nick has murdered her. However, she seems reluctant to actually believe in Nick's guilt and gives him a great deal of leeway, more than she might give another murder suspect.
Tanner Bolt
Bolt is a lawyer and has made a very good living defending husbands accused of killing their wives, a surprisingly lucrative line of work. He is also Nick's lawyer, and goes about building his defense without wondering too much whether or not he committed the crime.
Desi Collings
Desi is smart, upper class and rich. He was Amy's high school boyfriend, and remains close to her, which proves to be his downfall as she murders him at the end of the film.
Margo "Go" Dunne
Margo is Nick's twin sister. They are very close, and although she never wavers in her support of him she does find herself privately worrying that he might actually have killed Amy primarily because she knows that they have been having difficulties in their relationship.
Andie
Andie is Nick's mistress; their relationship is a stereotype in a way, Andie the fresh faced writing student in Nick's class, Nick the good looking and erudite professor whom the female students secretly fantasize about. Andie is twenty years old and the catalyst for Amy's revenge upon Nick.
