Gone Baby Gone
Rated: R
No one is allowed to talk smack about Ben Affleck after this flick. And if, for some strange reason, people were talking smack about his brother Casey, they don't get to do that any more either (and if what I hear about his role in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is true, they'll be forced to praise him as well). I’ve been an Affleck fan every since I saw him in Chasing Amy and his writing and directing ability is uncanny, especially for a directorial-debut. Based on the Dennis Lehane novel, Gone Baby Gone is a sharp and electric film noir that follows private investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and his partner/girlfriend Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) as they attempt to find a missing child in the city of Boston. As the story progresses and Patrick's search for the truth intensifies, the hackneyed cry of "Won't somebody think of the children!" has never taken on such depth and resonance as imbued by the themes and ideas present in Gone Baby Gone. Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman turn in solid supporting work as cops working the case, but this is Casey Affleck's movie as far as performances go. He crackles with energy and brings authenticity to the Boston P.I. But Ben Affleck has done an incredible job. Yes, there's a scene or two that are unnecessary or run a little too long and I disagree with the casting of John Ashton because you can't have one of the cops from Beverly Hills Cop as a cop in this movie. But other than that, the film is expertly paced, thoughtfully lit, and most importantly, gives a rich sense of place, especially when it comes to the working-class Boston neighborhood Kenzie investigates. A thoughtful film with rich characters and an interesting mystery makes Gone Baby Gone one of the best film noirs in recent memory and only further cements my place in the Ben Affleck Fan Club (we have hats and t-shirts). Words by |