Bad actor, great director

Rating: 8/10 (6 April 2008)

Wow, Ben Affleck really did deserve that Oscar he won for writing Good Will Hunting. I thought it was a fluke (like maybe there were ghost writers involved), but watching Gone Baby Gone is proof positive that Affleck belongs behind the camera and not in front of it. The directing is fairly rudimentary (mostly static shots, close ups, med shots, stiff blocking) but the script is fabulous, allowing the film to flow smoothly, quickly, and cohesively. There's a lot going on in this movie, but in Gone Baby Gone you never feel lost in the narrative nor question the motives of the characters (as you do in many other films in this genre). The performances Affleck gets out of his actors, especially his brother, are amazing (this is the best work I've seen from Ed Harris since Truman Show.) Congrats Ben, you keep this up and you may just win another gold statue.