March 10, 2008

Upon first learning of “Gone Baby Gone” being directed by Ben Affleck my immediate response was a simple but prolonged “groan”. This wasn’t because I find Ben Affleck a distasteful person, but because I have a real problem with Hollywood being overrun with simple actors feeling that they have what it takes to get behind the camera lens and direct a full length feature. Don’t get me wrong, a handful of actor turn directors have actually made a name for themselves in the film industry, i.e. Clint Eastwood and Robert Redford. Despite my premature apprehension, Gone Baby Gone, along with Ben Affleck, showed me that sometimes it’s best not to judge a book by its cover.

Gone Baby Gone opens in a rough neighborhood of Boston. The accents are strong the stench of drugs and crime is even more prevalent. Within this very neighborhood, little Amanda McCready, an innocent 4-year-old girl, has become the center of attention by being abducted from her home. Amanda’s mother, Helene McCready (Amy Ryan) an obvious drug user, pleads to the media and anyone else who will listen, for her daughter’s safe return. As the media continues to consume the story, Capt. Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman) leads the investigation as to the whereabouts of little Amanda. Around this point, we are introduced to Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan). Patrick operates as a private detective who has roots within the local community and generally has the superb ability to acquire street information better than the actual police. He is aided by his partner/lover, Angie.

Feeling that private detectives would have a better chance finding information on the streets, “Lionel”, Helene’s stern brother, and his wife “Beatrice” consult Patrick and Angie. Although initially reluctant, Patrick feels a strong bond to the case, mainly because there is a child involved.

Because private detectives are entitled to all information that the police have, Capt. Doyle assigns Det. Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and Det. Nick Poole (John Ashton) to aid Patrick and Angie. As Patrick and Angie delve deeper into the abduction case, they both begin to unravel a complex system of lies and deceit that has been masked by some of the people they have confided in. All these events set the stage for a huge moral/ethical dilemma that creates a sense that either side of the dilemma could be the correct path. This all leads to a surprising ending that challenges all that Patrick and Angie believe in, not only as detectives, but lovers as well.

Ben Affleck has streamlined Dennis Lehane’s already great novel into a cinema juggernaut. Despite my early anxiety over the casting of Ben’s younger brother Casey, I found that this relative newcomer may actually have the acting ability to overshadow his big brother. Every scene in which he appears is performed in such a manner that it gives the impression of being seamless and fluid. However, the great acting in the film isn’t centered completely around Casey. He is aided by a magnificent ensemble cast with many greats such as Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman, not to mention a fabulous performance by Amy Ryan.

My only real complaint about the film could stem from the “at times” convoluted plotline that intertwines a large amount of character back stories. I found myself having to keep remembering what had happened 5 minutes prior. Normally, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but in this instance, it felt more labored than entertaining.

Gone Baby Gone has a truly authentic quality to what it presents to the viewer. This is due most likely do to the fact that it was shot on location and most of the extras used are actual residents of Boston. The main cast, along with the supporting cast, delivers their individual Bostonian accents so well that you loose yourself within the culture. You half believe that what you are witnessing is not fiction but real life. A great deal of scenes play out over long takes and make you respect the craftsmanship that much more.

The score by Harry Gregson Williams is somewhat sedated as compared to his previous work. By previous work, I'm referring to the sweeping action scores of Enemy of the State and the last two Metal Gear Solid games. This sedation isn't a hindrance though, actually quite the apposite. It shows his versatility and maturity as a composer.

The Gone Baby Gone comes packed with the normal features one would come expect. There are a slew of deleted scenes that offer an extended opening and ending but neither are very elaborate or impressive. There are two small featurettes, Behind the Scenes and Casting of Gone Baby Gone. Both only total around 10 minutes and are basically DVD extras added to make the whole package sound more appealing. They offer a few tidbits of info delivered by the various cast members but are generally not worth the effort to watch. I for one do not like audio commentaries.

I usually find the persons giving them to be rigid and boring, except Kevin Smith movies. However, Ben Affleck does a decent job giving up some interesting facts about the locations and various other general aspects of filmmaking. His discussion about a special effects shot regarding a rock quarry was fascinating. I wouldn’t recommend buying this DVD for the features, but that is pretty much irrelevant because the movie alone makes up for sparse features.

I would consider this a great achievement for Ben Affleck and his directorial debut. If this movie is a crystal ball into his future as a director, only good things can be seen heading his way.

Filmmaking: 8
Sound: 7
Value: 4
Overall: 7.5