Gone Baby Gone delivers on all sorts of levels. Not only is it a crime drama with a complex plot filled with twists and turns, it is also a morality play that asks many questions of the audience. This one will certainly have people asking each other after the credits: Well, what would you have done? Who was right, and who was wrong? This story, unlike many others, requests a thinking audience and although it may not be a classic it is done so well that it deserves the very high tomato meter it got.
What? what did that credit say? The director is Ben Affleck? no kidding, really? Send a message to Matt Damon, Ben Affleck is starting to catch up. This movie, more than anything, resurrects his career. He has now gained back the credibility he lost (unfairly) during his Bennifer days. And Matt Damon hasn't directed anything yet. This game has suddenly become more interesting.
The Affleck brothers together seem to have cinematically matured. Casey Affleck has always been a favorite actor of mine. Something about the guy is truly original. I think it's his voice. It comes out as a squeak and when he speaks slowly it sounds like pained and hurt. It is a testament to him that he can hold the stage in this film with great older actors like Ed Harris, and Morgan Freeman. I doubt he'll ever be a major star but I hope to see him headline just a few more movies.
Overall the movie is incredibly solid and definitely worth a watch. I loved certain things about how the movie was put together. Like the fakeout ending half way through. and the way the movie was edited in the perp's house, how it never became exploitive and was always careful and courteous with the tremendously fragile subject matter.
This movie was adapted by a novel from the same guy who wrote Mystic River. There are concurrent themes in both of those movies, but I think I would rank 'Gone Baby Gone' over 'Mystic River.' In my opinion its a more challenging and believable film.
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