Gone Baby Gone Review

"Gone Baby Gone" reviews

Movie

Gone Baby Gone

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2009-01-19 21:55:09

Rating

3/5

Provider

CinemaSource

Review

As an ambitious, if somewhat imperfect, first-time effort from actor-turned-director Ben Affleck, Gone Baby Gone should haunt you long after the credits roll.

Story

Adapted from a story by Mystic River author Dennis Lehane, Gone Baby Gone refers to the disappearance of children. It's a grim story, though one of redemption, and is quite intricate. The story follows a pair of Boston private detectives, Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan), as they go looking for a local 4-year-old girl who has been abducted. Patrick and Angie are hired by the family to help the police find her—before it's too late. There's also brooding detective Remy (Ed Harris) and inveterate police captain Doyle (Morgan Freeman), who don't take kindly to the P.I.s meddling. But it seems the girl's drug-addicted mother Helene (Amy Ryan) has inadvertently put her daughter in some serious danger. Numerous shady characters burrow up to lend guidance and a nasty environment, putting a face on Boston's criminal underbelly. But Patrick is determined to find this little girl—and when a money-drop for the kidnapped tot goes awry, he won't let it go. And that is his downfall.

Acting

Casey Affleck gives a truly memorable performance. His calm demeanor almost shocks at times when it seems his feathers should presumably be more ruffled. He speaks in even tones, without emotion, even as a hardened street detective with community roots. Casey's ease conveys naturalism but is possibly too light to carry the movie's intrigue and heaviness. Michelle Monaghan delivers a pivotal, sobering turn as Casey's partner and girlfriend, after playing sweet with Ben Stiller in The Heartbreak Kid. Her Angie is a co-equal who adds ideas and emotional balance. Amy Ryan, a Tony-winning stage actress, is a fun mess as Helene, stuck in a nasty substance abuse pattern. Helene is so unlikeable, in fact, even the criminals think she doesn't deserve her daughter. Ed Harris adds another intense role to his resume as a flawed detective who we don't completely trust, invoking the same rage he displayed in his shivering turn in A History of Violence. Morgan Freeman's movie career built on dignified, wise roles is subverted here—and he plays it pitch perfect. And John Ashton (Beverly Hills Cop's Detective Taggert) does a nice turn as Remy's hardened partner.

Direction

As a first-time director, Ben Affleck does an admirable job. Much of Gone Baby Gone's charm comes from the director's ties to his hometown. He captures a certain vibe from Boston's seedy side, much like The Departed did. The Dorchester neighborhood setting adds to the blue-collar grit, sometimes seeming oddly aloof and plastic. Moody scenes move quickly, almost too confidently. It flits around kinetically during some action sequences but then lapses into old-school dreariness, creating a weird music-video pace, including a Silence of the Lambs-like psychedelic murder sequence. But it's the script, co-written by Ben, that really gets you. Gone Baby Gone fixates on some underwhelming dialogue (mostly involving Casey Affleck)--but then the film really packs a one-two punch at the end. It will leave you reeling. Ben may have finally found his niche.

Bottom Line

Hollywood.com rated this film 3 stars.

Movie

Gone Baby Gone

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2008-05-30 16:40:20

Provider

Review

Ben Affleck's debut was originally meant to be shown in the UK early last year but was shelved by studio bosses. That normally means either a troubled production or the studio not knowing how to market their film. In this case the reason for the delay was the film's similarities to the Madeline McCann abduction. The actress who plays the missing child in the film shares the same first name and looks uncannily like the missing McCann.

However, the film has now been given a release date and it's fair to say the wait has been more than worth it. Ben's acting career may not be brilliant (although he is getting back on track following his critically acclaimed performance in Hollywoodland) but he shows real promise as a director in one of the films of the year so far.

Ben's brother Casey takes the lead as a young private investigator hired by the grandmother of a missing child in a working class Boston neighbourhood. Four-year-old Amanda McCready has gone missing without a trace - and since drug addicted mother (Amy Ryans) seems almost blasé about her child's disappearance it's up to the grandmother to try and get some help.

Casey's character Patrick Kenzie is hired because he knows the streets and can jog the memory of neighbourhood locals who are reluctant to talk to the police. As the investigation gets murkier and murkier with every plot twist (nothing is as it seems of course) Kenzie joins forces with detective Remy (Ed Harris) and captain Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman) to help find the missing child.

Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, it's pure pulp and film noir - packed with hardboiled and memorable one liners such as "If we don't catch the guy after the first day only 10 per cent of them are ever found alive. This is DAY FOUR".

Affleck handles the tone and action like a true pro. The scenes at the start which show the tight knit working class community in shock as news of Amanda's disappearance breaks, is expertly handled, with the elder Affleck showing a keen eye at this directing lark. He's also a dab hand at casting. Okay, signing up Harris to play a gruff cop and Freeman as a stern but kind chief is a given but Casey is superb as the young P.I and Adams is an absolute revelation as the mother. Her delivery of her character's foul mouthed dialogue is a sight to behold.

Like the other cinema adaptation of Lehane's work (Mystic River), it does get bogged down with plot contrivances but the film suddenly adds a moral dilemma at the end that will ask questions from every audience member. It's brilliantly done, and the sudden twist elevates a very assured film noir tale into something much more masterful.

See Baby See! - as soon as you can.