Gone Baby Gone

One might expect that Ben Affleck should be the last one to attempt helming a movie based on a complex novel such as Gone Baby Gone. Dennis Lehane's novels have been adapted by the likes of Clint Eastwood and Martin Scorsese, two directors with undeniable pedigree. Sure, Affleck is an Academy Award winner, for writing Good Will Hunting along Matt Damon, but writing and directing are two different things entirely. Most would have expected Affleck to fail, but Gone Baby Gone is an astonishing debut, one that erases all previous mistakes he made, even as an actor (yes, even Gigli).
 

Gone Baby Gone takes place in (where else?) Boston, Massachusetts, and focuses on the abduction of four-year-old local girl Amanda. It's the kind of case that brings neighborhoods together, the kind that moves people, the kind that is never solved. The police are doing their best, but grief-struck aunt Beatrice hires local investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) to help as much as they can. Patrick is a smart guy with local connections, so he starts digging, hoping to find the truth. He does, but it's not pretty, and it carries a hefty price, as always.

Casey Affleck does a remarkable job as the quiet, but streetwise Patrick. He's easily the most identifiable character for the viewer, and his grief becomes ours from the onset. He would keep the movie together if he were surrounded by lesser actors. Fortunately for the viewer, he's not. Ed Harris continues to be one of the most underrated actors of his generation, playing Detective Remy Bressant, a hard-ass who's seen one case like this too many. Look into Bressant's eyes as Harris delivers each line. He combines humanity with cynicism, says more with each pause than others do with monologues. Morgan Freeman also graces the screen with his presence, although this one isn't exactly his usual spiel. Also worth mentioning is Amy Ryan, who received (almost undeservedly so) the most critical acclaim for her role as Amanda's damaged mother.
 

The plot is gritty and sad, and will pose questions for all attentive viewers (especially a sentence or two in the final few minutes that hit like a shotgun blast to the chest). The dialogue is sharp and some quotes are unforgettably delivered and written. Adapting such a novel was a daunting task, and Affleck shines: it's never confused, pathetic or preachy, as many similar-themed movies usually are.
 

Gone Baby Gone is a movie not to be missed: the Affleck brothers, with a little help here and there craft a movie that surpasses all expectations, defies clichés, and engages the viewer, without leaving him feeling cheap after the final pieces have fallen into place. It's a crime drama about people, the dark places some can go to, and the fact that making the right call is never easy.

10/10 Stefan