| In a heated exchange, Patrick
Kenzie shouts to Detective Broussard “Murder is a sin!”
to which the enraged officer replies, “It depends on
who you do it to.” Every character in Gone Baby Gone
is faced with moral dilemmas and the tempestuous outcomes
in turn pose the question to the audience – how far
are you willing to go for what you believe is right? As the
lines between right and wrong blur for the characters and
they seek out forgiveness or absolution for their choices,
the audience is forced to pick a side; but doing the right
thing never felt so depressing. The sinking feeling that choosing
what is legally right isn’t what is best for the well-being
of the characters involved leads to many interesting questions,
but not to a feeling of satisfaction. While the ends might
just justify the means, seeing justice prevail - but not happiness,
is a rough trade-off in the world of entertainment; one that
is necessary for realism. But who wants to stay too close
to reality in the solace of a movie theater?
Amanda McCready (Madeline O’Brien) hires Patrick (Casey
Affleck) and his partner Angie (Michelle Monaghan) to aid
in the search and rescue of her kidnapped niece. The drugged-up
and seemingly uncaring mother Helene (Amy Ryan) isn’t
nearly distraught enough to be telling the whole truth, and
Amanda’s husband (Titus Welliver) is equally edgy. Reluctantly
joined by Detective Remy Broussard (Ed Harris) they interrogate
local scumbags and kingpins to locate the little girl. But
as each new clue is uncovered, the puzzle continually fails
to fit, and by the maddening conclusion nothing is what it
seems.
The acting is incredibly well done, with Casey Affleck heading
the sensational cast with a very unconventional character.
He struggles to be a straight-laced hero, and yet the film
belittles him by giving him ties to shady miscreants and scenes
in which he is not afraid to pull a gun in a bar fight that
he instigated. It is strong acting, but in the end Patrick
is a relatively dislikable character. Michelle Monaghan is
his sidekick and girlfriend and she plays it straight, becoming
much less memorable. Ed Harris steals the show with his intense
and ferocious cop Remy Broussard, who holds a fragile façade
that quickly foreshadows darker motives. Freeman also does
his share of scene-stealing as the deadly serious officer
in charge of the tragic investigation.
The most distracting problem with Gone Baby Gone is its off-putting
narration and the structuring of its three acts. Casey Affleck
narrates at the beginning, which sets up the mood and aids
with character development. Right around the halfway point
of the film, his monotonic voice cuts back in to narrate,
despite the fact that it isn't the end. And yet it sounds
exactly like he is summing up events and drawing the film
to a close. This bizarre interpretation by an omnipotent voice
jarringly yanks the audience out of their focus on the engaging
storyline, which is a critical mistake.
Ben Affleck’s directorial debut is a strong one, with
powerful performances and a searing commentary on the nature
of right and wrong. What it lacks in catharsis it makes up
for in gritty realism and tense struggles for both life and
justice. Such morally complex and diverse characters in an
unflinching world are seldom seen, and regardless of your
approval of these characters’ decisions, Gone Baby Gone
won’t quickly leave you.
- Mike and Joel Massie
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