#12: Gone Baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone
Directed by Ben Affleck
Written by Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard (based on a novel by Dennis Lehane)
Released October 19, 2007

Wow. Touche, Ben Affleck, touche.

I remember first reading that he was directing a movie called Gone Baby Gone and thinking, "Christ, he's making a shitty romantic comedy with a title taken from a Violent Femmes song. What a douche."

I was wrong about every single word of that thought.

Gone Baby Gone is a top tier representation of its kind: a suspenseful, intriguing and ultimately touching crime drama/mystery. Expertly made with believable performances from the entire cast, including Casey Affleck, Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman, who for the first time in a long time is playing a much different character. Throw in great music and intelligent editing (watch the extended opening scene in the DVD bonus material... it takes an editor with a special kind of attention to pacing to know when to cut that much of an introduction to your two protagonists). Just a quality piece of work, all around.

The writing is top notch as well, based on a novel by the same guy who wrote Mystic River and three episodes of HBO's masterpiece The Wire. (Wire fans note: Michael K. Williams, aka Omar Little, had a nice little role here.) Baby deals with virtually the same subject matter as Mystic River, but this movie is so much more subtle and effective (my apologies to Clint Eastwood, the guy who practically wrote the book on actors directing fantastic movies).

I highly recommend this one. But then again, I have to admit to a little bias: I've been madly in love with Michelle Monaghan ever since Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Damn her husband.


For more on Gone Baby Gone:
- More information at IMDB.
- Buy Gone Baby Gone at at Amazon.com. Pick up a copy of Dennis Lehane's book.

The official trailer on YouTube: