Excellent; treats tough subject matter in a non-disturbing manner

Rating: 10/10 (17 February 2008)

First off, I read the book by Dennis Lehane. I wondered how well the movie would stand up to the book (like Peter Jackson so famously has done with Lord of the Rings), and I was very pleasantly surprised. There were a few minor changes made by Affleck but they worked very well for the screen.
What I was most struck by in the movie was how REAL the people were. The acting was completely transparent. I also appreciated how the movie dealt with a very disturbing subject matter, child abduction. I was expecting to sit through disturbing parts of the movie where children were involved, but the movie mostly implied what could happen without going there, thankfully.
It was a fantastic movie, with a complex plot but not one that was confusing. Acting was superb by all. Cinematography showed me what I wanted to see at any given moment. Direction, pacing, editing all great.
I highly recommend this movie.