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DVD Review: Gone Baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: February 12, 2008
Run Time: 114 minutes
IMDB Link

Gone Baby Gone is the story of private investigators Patrick (Casey Affleck) and Angie (Michelle Monaghan), and Patrick's journey to learn about his own sense of right and wrong on the mean streets of Boston.

The directorial debut for Ben Affleck, the film stars his younger brother Casey, as well as Michelle Monaghan, Amy Ryan, and Ed Harris. (Don't believe the cover—Morgan Freeman plays a limited role.) One day while watching the news in bed, the two PI's/lovers learn of a local girl in Boston being kidnapped, and watch as the mother (Amy Ryan) and her relatives plead for her return.

The following day, the missing girl's uncle and aunt come to the pair, asking for their assistance in tracking down what could have happened to their niece, as Patrick has all sorts of street connections the regular police don't have. Despite the protest by Angie (she doesn't want to find a little girl dead in a dumpster), Patrick accepts the task, and the two join detectives Remy Bressant (Ed Harris) and Nick Poole (John Ashton) in trying to solve the case.

From there it's a series of twists and turns, false leads and false solutions, ultimately ending in a way that will completely split friends apart if you choose to discuss the final act.

In terms of the actual overall plot, Gone Baby Gone isn't anything too new; it's the little things that add up. Despite the critical success of films such as The Departed and Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone is, in my opinion, the best piece of modern cinema to showcase the tension and issues between cops, criminals, and the neighborhoods they co-exist in.

Ben Affleck does a surprising job in directing the film (guess we know where that duo's talent came from), and every scene seems to be filmed with care to the details, but it's never so overblown that it becomes pretentious. It's hard to judge a new director based on one film, but I think it's safe to say that Ben has a promising directorial career ahead of him if he decides he likes staying behind the camera more than standing in front of it.

If I have one complaint about the film, it's that at times it becomes too preachy and too over-the-head-with-a-hammer obvious in what it's trying to accomplish. There are parts where a moral dilemna is faced by Patrick or the police with both sides being presented, but the filming and acting makes it very clear who it is we SHOULD be rooting for.

My only other complaint is the sticker on the front of the DVD case which was hyping the new eye-opening extended ending. In reality, the extended ending is the theatrical ending with another sentence of dialog spoken by Patrick as the film closes. It does little to create any new realizations, and anyone with common sense can tell that what he says is what he was thinking all along.

Still, Gone Baby Gone is a solid first effort by Affleck, and features a great cast of supporting actors you've never heard or seen before amidst film giants such as Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman. For those who like cop thrillers, Gone Baby Gone is a good movie that will likely be an enjoyable night in. If you didn't like The Departed or those ilk, though, this will do nothing to change that.

CONTENT - 3.5/5
The movie itself is solid enough, but I just can't help but shake the feeling that I only like it because I'm supposed to. It's enjoyable, really, but it's nothing that will be remembered when I look back months from now at my favorite movies I've watched this year. I can tell you one thing, though: years from now, college students will cite this as one of their favorites along with Donnie Darko.

VIDEO - 4/5
It's amazing how well they managed to fade colors and make them appear washed-out on a standard DVD disc. The entire film has the look of it like it's filmed on a low budget camera or in the 70s/80s, but it's pulled off so well that it becomes an addition to the narrative, not a deterrent.

AUDIO - 3/5
There's little use of surround in a film centered around dialog, but when there's background noises on the streets, they're well done. Subtract a point if you could never stand Boston accents.

EXTRAS - 3/5
There are two main extras: Going Home, and Capturing Authenticity. Going Home is a 20-odd minute set of talking head interviews and anecdotes with the people involved in shooting the film, as well as the author of the book. Decent enough, but for the most part it's pretty boring. Capturing Authenticity deals with the use of authentic city people in the movie, as well as the attempt to make it as authentic as possible. Solid enough, but I can't help but wish for a more fleshed out look. As for the deleted scenes... Well, I already told you my thoughts about the "thought provoking" extended ending.

REPLAY - 3.5/5
If you've seen it once, you'll never fall for the twists and revelations again. It is, however, a good film to watch with friends to spark some conversation. It's also a good way to tell if your friends are pro- or anti-kidnapping. Keep an eye on Kurt.

OVERALL - 3.5/5
Gone Baby Gone is a very solid debut for Director Ben Affleck, and overall an above average piece of cinema. While I don't agree with the widespread sentiment that it's one of the most thought provoking films of our generation, it is a good movie worth a watch. Possibly not one to purchase, but a rental shouldn't hurt at all.

You can see more movie reviews and news at Brendon's movie blog, www.filmplosion.com!

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