Film Review: Gone Baby Gone

Thanks to my roommate’s Netflix subscription, I watched Gone Baby Gone last night. The movie stars Casey Affleck and was directed by his brother Ben Affleck. Did this combination make for a quality film?

The general plot of Gone Baby Gone follows Patrick (Casey Affleck) and his girlfriend, who are private detectives. When a local girl is kidnapped, they are hired by her family to work in conjunction with the police to try to recover the missing child. The story is intense and gripping, and it is definitely the driving force of the movie.

Gone Baby Gone has an elaborate story that is very engaging, and it demands your attention in various ways. Of course the plot weaves an incredibly powerful tale, but there is even more beyond that to give the viewer a great experience. The setting within shady areas of Boston (like The Departed, but this movie is actually good) has been done in the past, but it really fits perfectly here. There are plenty of side characters (mainly drug dealers and addicts) that might not seem like much, but as a whole they add a layer of believability to the movie.

On that note, being “real” is important to the film. Most movies within this genre throw in a layer of grit and violence, but here it feels natural rather than contrived. In many areas I was reminded of the independent (and excellent) film Narc. The style is harsh, but it does a good job of bringing things home.

This authentic feel would not be possible without excellent acting, and GBG delivers. Casey Affleck was excellent as a detective (and the moral constant of the film), and Morgan Freeman is spectacular playing a senior officer. The real show-stealer is Amy Ryan, who was nominated for an Academy Award for her role. Ryan plays a drug addict just about as well as I have ever seen. She is the epitome of the rough but real theme I have been mentioning.

One thing I noticed about the movie was its shift from the first half to second. The first half is dripping with suspense and action, whereas the second half is more dramatic and story-based. I loved the change, but some people might wish that the style of the first half carried through until the end. Still, this pacing was a little strange.

Possibly the greatest achievement of Gone Baby Gone is the questions it raises. If you ever need an example of a film that is morally gray, you are now covered. My head was spinning with the questions of right and wrong and defining the two. There are several points where two people could watch the movie and completely disagree on what course of action should be taken. I know that a lot of the crime and ethical discussions have been done before, but Gone Baby Gone just executes them brilliantly.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Gone Baby Gone, and I would recommend it if you are looking for a crime thriller or a crime drama. I can say that because honestly I think it is both. The plot’s submersion in moral ambiguity and the powerful scenes of suspense and drama create a great movie experience.

8.5/10

Disclaimer #1: As I mentioned the movie has a realistic street feel to it, so if you are uncomfortable with any of the following stay away: heavy profanity, guns, drugs, assorted violence, and the absolute lows of life.

Disclaimer #2: I wrote this at 2am, and in addition I am not proofreading it. My opinions may or may not make sense, and neither may my grammar.