After a four year old girl is kidnapped and a flailing police investigation the child’s aunt hires two private detectives (Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan) to look in the seedy crevasses the cops cannot.
For audiences who have seen the Clint Eastwood directed ‘Mystic River’ they will find themselves in familiar territory with ‘Gone Baby Gone’ since both films are adapted from Dennis Lehane novels. It’s not only the sourced author that both films share, there is a sense that director and co-screenwriter Ben Affleck was keeping a close eye on Eastwood’s film when creating this project. And in doing so, he has managed to imitate both the accomplishments and shortcomings of ‘Mystic River’
It’s in the adapting that ‘Gone Baby Gone’ begins to fall short of the mark of an altogether satisfying crime story. The second half of the film feels like an abridged version of the novel where voice over and flashbacks do most of the story telling. Despite this being a detective film where both those devices are staples in the genre, here, they feel like short cuts and take away from an engaging first half.
Despite this Affleck’s directorial debut is a solid success. He brings to what could have been a conventional Hollywood thriller a personal touch, making the landscape of the film real and harnessing solid performances from the cast, notably from brother Casey Affleck. It’s in the films final moments where it regains itself and left this reviewer feeling that writer and director Affleck could become a solid Hollywood director.
Who would have thought ten years ago that younger brother Casey will have the greatest potential to be the leading man over the Affleck brothers. But Casey is a hero for the 21st century, the disenchanted century where our heros are the trusted boys next door.
‘Gone Baby Gone’ is a solid entertaining detective film which are too far and few these days. It’s almost a four star film, almost. The trip up in the second half makes it fall just short of the mark but it will be enjoyed by anyone looking for a good old crime yarn.
3.75/5
2 comments:
Ah come on.Saw it last night.It's easily a 4 star film. 3.75 is cheating.Commit goddamnit.It's also a better film that Mystic River. Watch them back to back.There is simply less going on in Mystic River.Some plot developments were a bit pulpy but that's a small flaw.
As for the 2nd half.Completely disagree.A refressing structural change from most procedurals which start and finish with the same case like an episode of CSI.Have to expect more from cinema.This delivers.This film is about the impact that his failure has on him.It has to happen half way through.Thought the moment of the turnover was brilliant and completely threw the audience out of the comfort zone of forumla.The last film that manged to do that was No Country and that won Best Film at the Oscars.
Believe me I wanted to give this 4, I just couldn't. I also applaud the daring structal decisions but it would justify the '4' rating if the unraveling of the crime wasn't so damned contrived. The final moral delema is interesting and that last scene is just great. I also appluad it for not being a cold CSI rip off but in doing so I would have liked the focus to be on the repercussions of this case have on him and his relationship with his partner, a relationship which is so underdeveloped that it left me feeling uncomforatable.
I wouldn't compare this to No Country for Old Men though. That was beautiful on so many levels, this doesn't doesn't get close to it's brilliance.
Although, I would put my money that it will so much better than almost any Hollwood blockbuster released this summer.
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