Jun 25 2009
“Gone Baby Gone” is Gripping
Gone Baby Gone is Ben Affleck’s directorial debut and it’s pretty damn good. It’s the story of a private investigator looking for a little girl who has gone missing in his neighbourhood, and brother does he get messed up in some serious shit. And just when you think you know what’s going on, you don’t, and it’s at that point the film shifts into high gear and doesn’t let up until the very last shot. It’s not just a thriller; it’s an intellectually engaging and morally challenging film, one that will give you something to talk about while the credits are rolling. That’s an accomplishment for any film. (Not recommended for parents with small kids, though.)
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Tags: 4 Star Movies, Amy Madigan, Amy Ryan, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Ed Harris, Edi Gathegi, John Ashton, Madeline O'Brien, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Titus Welliver
Oops. I didn’t notice I had 2 movie reviews set for today. That was a mistake.
I’ll admit that I’d totally written off smarmy Ben Affleck. This movie made me realize that his best skill lies behind the camera (where I don’t hafta look at his smirky-faced excuse for acting). Sounds like a backhanded compliment, but seriously, the guy apparently does have some writing & directorial chops.
And I was very impressed with Casey. His character was completely authentic.
I agree. If this is any indication, I prefer Ben Affleck the director over the actor any day. His brother, Casey, is impressive too. And the people on the street, the extras, they seemed like the real deal to me. The environment of the neighbourhood was authentic (as far as I can, never having been there). Although it has some big name actors, it doesn’t feel like a Hollywoodized movie. That’s a good thing.