Movie Review - Gone Baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Director: Ben Affleck
Actors: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris

Overall:
Not a bad directorial debut from Ben Affleck. I really enjoyed this film. I thought he did a great job of capturing the essence of southside Boston and all the poverty that comes with it. He also got some great individual performances from Ed Harris and Casey Affleck. Films like this one are really important because they expose us to things we don't normally have to deal with and show us that other people are trying to survive in very different worlds. All too often we forget and take for granted the opportunities that we've been given.

Plot:
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Dennis Lahane, the story focuses on a private investigator and his partner/girlfriend who are hired by the family of a missing girl to help the cops find her. Along the way it's discovered that the mother is in deep with a local drug lord and an exchange is arranged for the missing girl. When the deal goes south, it's believed the young girl is killed. Afterward, while trying to cope with the guilt of not being able to rescue the missing girl, questions still remain surrounding what really happened. With plenty of twists and turns, the story is full of suspense and expertly crafted.

Setting/Mood:
Set against the backdrop of a poor and depressing neighborhood of Boston it's immediately clear that even though the police are involved, they are not welcomed. Nobody trusts anyone, everyone is living in poverty, and it's unclear whether the missing girl should even be returned to her family. Filled with dark and dilapidated buildings, profane bartenders, drug-dealing alcoholics, and chain-smoking mothers, it's an inescapable reality for anyone living there and hope is hard to find.

Acting:
There are some superb performances in this film but the best has to be Ed Harris, who plays a mean, gritty detective investigating the case. Once again his amazing versatility as an actor is on display. Casey Affleck also delivers on his first major leading role with a strong performance. Surprisingly, I thought the weakest performance of the feature cast came from Morgan Freeman, who's usually as dependable as they get.

Recommendation:
I would definitely recommend this film to anyone who enjoys suspense and doesn't mind a revealing look at the underbelly of society.