Andrew McMurtryGone Baby Gone 8/10
April 19th 2008 03:59
Since I think that Ben Affleck is a douchebag, I was skeptical about his directorial debut, which he also co-adapted while putting his little brother in the lead role. But I came out impressed. Mr Affleck, you may be a douchebag, but you do possess some promising talent.
Gone Baby Gone begins in the streets of Boston. It's depicted in a bittersweet, tender manner as Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) narrates. He's a small time Missing Persons Private Detective with his girlfriend Angie (Michelle Monahan) his associate. They watch the case of little Amanda McCready's dissapearance on TV as the aunt and uncle beg for her return. Next thing you know, they're knocking at their door, asking for their assistance, although with resistence by the uncle , Lionel McCready (Titus Welliver) and the Captain of Police (Morgan Freeman, in his usual "woeful authority" routine). The couple speak to the slag of a mother Helene (an amazing Amy Ryan) and slowly start to unravel the case, with the assistance of two police detectives (Ed Harris in his usual growling mode and John Aston). But as Patrick gets closer to the twisted truth, the more his religion, his morality and his emotions are confronted.
This synopsis makes the film sound more like a thriller than it actually is. The twists themselves I found quite illogical and dependent on our connections with the characters. It had a Mystic River feel throughout, which I really liked, and like Mystic River its main focus isn't the crimes, it's the people that commit them and those that are affected by them.
Casey Affleck isn't your usual leading man. He isn't particularly charming, distinguishable (I kept forgetting he wasn't Milo Ventimiglia) or intense. But for this film, he was the perfect choice. Patrick Kenzie was born and raised on the wrong side of the tracks, but somehow made it out a good and uncorrupted man without getting his white lilly ass kicked. In fact, he's friendly with most of the crims in the neighbourhood, they respect him. Such a character has to be believeable, and with a average looking guy with a smart ass tongue, I could believe it. And he was very empathetic.
But there was one definite standout, and that was Amy Ryan. Totally deserved the Supporting Actress nod, she totally inhabited the disgraceful trashbag single mother who's initially too stupid and immature to fully realise the extent of danger her daughter could be in until it is possibly too late. Watch it just for her performance if not anything else.
So yeah. Although it got a bit wishy wachy for me with the style, I could see that Ben Affleck's still finding his schtick, and for that I shall forgive him for that. But this was a very impressive big screen debut with extremely moving scenes pushed gently along by a beautiful soundtrack and majestic flyover shots over the streets of Boston. Two thumbs up, buddy. Surpass Good Will Hunting in your next film and you will be my new God.
Gone Baby Gone begins in the streets of Boston. It's depicted in a bittersweet, tender manner as Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) narrates. He's a small time Missing Persons Private Detective with his girlfriend Angie (Michelle Monahan) his associate. They watch the case of little Amanda McCready's dissapearance on TV as the aunt and uncle beg for her return. Next thing you know, they're knocking at their door, asking for their assistance, although with resistence by the uncle , Lionel McCready (Titus Welliver) and the Captain of Police (Morgan Freeman, in his usual "woeful authority" routine). The couple speak to the slag of a mother Helene (an amazing Amy Ryan) and slowly start to unravel the case, with the assistance of two police detectives (Ed Harris in his usual growling mode and John Aston). But as Patrick gets closer to the twisted truth, the more his religion, his morality and his emotions are confronted.
This synopsis makes the film sound more like a thriller than it actually is. The twists themselves I found quite illogical and dependent on our connections with the characters. It had a Mystic River feel throughout, which I really liked, and like Mystic River its main focus isn't the crimes, it's the people that commit them and those that are affected by them.
Casey Affleck isn't your usual leading man. He isn't particularly charming, distinguishable (I kept forgetting he wasn't Milo Ventimiglia) or intense. But for this film, he was the perfect choice. Patrick Kenzie was born and raised on the wrong side of the tracks, but somehow made it out a good and uncorrupted man without getting his white lilly ass kicked. In fact, he's friendly with most of the crims in the neighbourhood, they respect him. Such a character has to be believeable, and with a average looking guy with a smart ass tongue, I could believe it. And he was very empathetic.
But there was one definite standout, and that was Amy Ryan. Totally deserved the Supporting Actress nod, she totally inhabited the disgraceful trashbag single mother who's initially too stupid and immature to fully realise the extent of danger her daughter could be in until it is possibly too late. Watch it just for her performance if not anything else.
So yeah. Although it got a bit wishy wachy for me with the style, I could see that Ben Affleck's still finding his schtick, and for that I shall forgive him for that. But this was a very impressive big screen debut with extremely moving scenes pushed gently along by a beautiful soundtrack and majestic flyover shots over the streets of Boston. Two thumbs up, buddy. Surpass Good Will Hunting in your next film and you will be my new God.
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Comment by Johnny Come Lately
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Comment by Linh
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Great review.
I really enjoyed this film and liked Casey Affleck's performance.
He is a star on the rise.
Amy Ryan is also brilliant.
Cheers!
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