Film Review: Gone Baby Gone

Director: Ben Affleck

A 2007 American mystery film was Ben Affleck's first film as director and the only one to date which he hasn't also starred in. In Gone Baby Gone its his brother Casey who takes the lead role and to great effect, many attribute this as Ben Affleck's best film. The screenplay was co-written by Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard but was based on the novel of the same name by acclaimed author Dennis Lehane who also wrote Mystic River and Shutter Island.

Private Investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan)

A missing child called Amanda comes to the attention of Private Investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) as they hired by the childs aunt Beatrice (Amy Madigan) to find her. They interview the mother Helene (Amy Ryan) whilst two police detectives are there, Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and Nick Poole (John Ashton), and Helene comes across as brash and uncaring towards her child. There hunt for the child sees them tangle with a local criminal boss called Cheese (Edi Gathegi) who was ripped off by Helene and tracking a known paedophile but nothing can prepare them for the truth behind the disappearance.

What is produced is a thrilling and slightly complex narrative that leaves you with an uneasy ending, the conclusion to the story itself is a bit of a letdown given the intrigue that occurs in getting there but the moral dilemma that you take away from it really resonates with you. The story takes you down a number of blind alleys leaving you with little chance of predicting the ending. As a film it really makes you think about a number of issues and that is something that is sadly lacking from the world of film at the moment.

Helene McCready (Amy Ryan) with Detective Sergeant Remy Bressant (Ed Harris)

The acting in the film is excellent especially from Casey Affleck and Amy Ryan, the former being a conscientious yet street-wise Boston man and latter being a drug-addicted mom with a foul mouth and little regard for anyone but herself. Both performances are equally impressive and you can feel Ben Affleck's roots in Boston shine through both these characters. Ed Harris is on good form as intimidating and angry detective whilst Michelle Monaghan is largely forgettable as Patrick's girlfriend Angie. Gone Baby Gone isn't perfect but it comes very close.

3.5/4 Enthralling drama with a clever moral dilemma to finish