GONE BABY GONE

The Affleck brothers team up in the morality thriller, GONE BABY GONE. Ben Affleck steps behind the camera to direct his brother for the first-time in the story of a missing girl. Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan are Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro, two young private investigators who are called on to find Amanda McCready, a missing child from downtown Boston. As Patrick and Angie dig deeper into the case, the more complex it becomes, with variables including Amanda’s doped-out mother, red-tape from the police and a media circus surrounding the girl’s disappearance.

The cleverness in GONE BABY GONE’s screenplay is matched only by its morally-complex and challenging conclusion, one which does not conform to convention, but is dead-set on creating conversation. Ben Affleck returns to his GOOD WILL HUNTING roots, penning a Boston-area screenplay that absorbs the bean town atmosphere into the characters and events, providing an authentic and realistic feel. Casey Affleck, who had yet to impress me on screen, delivers a powerful performance, with grit, fortitude and depth. Casey’s Patrick is no more complex than many of the other characters, but through his eyes we view the areas of gray that form in crime and punishment. The film is a tremendous work for Ben Affleck in his directorial debut. Outside of a fairly contrived latter fourth, GONE BABY GONE poses some serious questions, and several answers through its murky characters. Affleck and co-scribe Aaron Stockard have created several conflicted characters, willing to bend the law at certain times, and at other times willing to follow it by the book. There’s no easy ending for GONE BABY GONE, but a difficult and engaging finish that will leave you with plenty to talk about.

Grade: A-