Ben Affleck's directorial debut shows more promise than his acting...

Rating: 7/10 (4 October 2008)

...perhaps because "Gone Baby Gone" is apparently near and dear to his heart. Based on the novel from the guy who wrote "Mystic River," with a decent screenplay by newbie Aaron Stockard, "Gone Baby Gone" is set firmly in the midst of Affleck's beloved Boston; "Beantown" ambiance permeates the film thanks to some superb 2d-unit photography and the wholesale cooperation of the neighborhoods involved, all the better to tell a gritty little tale of kidnap, murder, and subterfuge. The ensemble cast, headed by the director's younger brother, Casey "Soul Survivors" Affleck, is near-perfect, its weakest link being Michelle "Eagle Eye" Monaghan, and even she's really not terrible, just not quite credible as Affleck's partner in the private investigation game. Standouts include Amy "The Wire" Ryan as the white-trash mother of the kidnapped child, Amy "Field of Dreams" Madigan and Titus "Deadwood" Welliver as concerned relatives, Ed "The Abyss" Harris and John "Beverly Hills Cop" Ashton as the cops involved, along with the ever-reliable Morgan "need you ask?" Freeman as the final link in the mystery that young Affleck's P.I. is trying to solve. Beautifully framed and shot by John "Tropic Thunder" Toll, scored without too much overt manipulation by Harry "Shrek" Gregson-Williams, and with great production values for a sub-$20mil venture, "Gone Baby Gone" may be a tad predictable, but is still an engrossing melodrama deserving of the time spent watching it. The younger Affleck proves that his work in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" was no fluke, and the elder amply demonstrates that his talents behind the camera may well exceed those in front of it.