Gone Baby Gone – a tale of mystery and child abductions, with Casey Affleck playing the lead. I have wanted to see this film for a long while and I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint. It’s one those films that make you consider a moral dilemma (what would have I done?). Any movie that does this successfully deserves a high grade in my book. Not to mention that this film really pulls you into the story from the get-go.
Private investigators, Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) are hired to investigate the disappearance of a 4-year-old girl. They assist the police in a rough area of Boston, clambering their way through the neighbourhood’s underbelly of drug lords, pimps and various other scum bags. Patrick uses his connections and know-how to get people to open up about the missing girl. It’s an ever-expanding mystery that feels real and you live the story with the characters.
I must say Ben Affleck has done a great job in his directional debut. His use of authentic locations really brings the film to life. And I guess casting his brother in the main role was an easy decision. But the brotherly ties won’t have been the determining factor in Ben’s casting choice. Casey is a talented actor and carries the film from the first minute. He gives a cool, effective voice-over, as the story leads the viewer on a highly engaging and dark journey.
The missing child is just one piece of the puzzle. From corrupt cops, bar fights and dark secrets, there’s a lot going on this film. That’s what I liked most about Gone Baby Gone, that it has such a deep, multi-layered story. Each narrative thread takes you somewhere new, but it’s tough to keep up with if you’re distracted. I won’t lie, I actually had to go back a few scenes, because I got a bit lost. So get rid of all potential distractions!
Perhaps you can see the end coming a little too early on, but the story is its biggest strength. It slowly unfolds, like a classic detective thriller, drawing you in and teasing bits of information, until the full picture is revealed at the end.
Overall:
This is a deceptive thriller with some genuinely great moments. Featuring both gun play and slow-paced detective work, there’s a lot here for different types of viewers to enjoy. In the end, it gets the audience to think about tough dilemmas. It explores the old-age question: Is the right thing always the best decision to make?
Strong film. I enjoyed it a lot. Go see it.
Director: Ben Affleck
Writers: Affleck, Aaron Stockard, Dennis Lehane (Novel)
Stars: Casey Affleck, Morgan Freeman, Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, Josh Ashton, Amy Ryan.
Distributor: Miramax
Run Time: 114 minutes
Motion Picture Blog 
Ben Affleck is pure class, as a film director. 🎬 Very good at working his actors, cast and crews the way he wants to. Gone Baby Gone was one of the most perfect directorial debuts ever. Although the film’s climax can be a tad underwhelming rather than confusing but it still has a guaranteed 95% of thrilling satisfaction.
While between the two, Matt maybe the better actor, a far better acting talent, no doubt, (and not to mention the little Affleck – the recent OSCAR winning actor) but Ben is already among the most talent directors to come forth in recent years. The reason why the famous bromantic duo make sense is that it would’ve ended years ago if it didn’t have the characteristics of emasculated agenda, hence: “Big Ben” fits perfectly with Dam(on)’ “Apples.” 🍎😉
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Yeah he’s good a director, always casts good actors as well. I thought Casey was really good in this film too, and I agree the ending was a bit underwhelming. Thanks for the nice, in depth comment!
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