Feeble

Rating: 4/10 (21 October 2007)

That pretty much sums it up. I don't usually write reviews, but given the fact that this baby currently gets an 8.4 and almost unanimous praise in the press, I see it as my duty to mankind and womankind, for that matter. I mean, seriously, how can anyone compare this crap to Mystic River, or even sigh- The Departed?
The main weaknesses of Baby are: - poor cinematography: I've seen better looking TV-movies. - poor script & directing: there's no 'flow'. It feels like three of four separate parts clumsily glued together in the editing room. Like a 'best of' of a ten-hour miniseries. - the plot: I'll add a few sentences at the bottom of this text with spoiler warnings. Suffice it to say it has nothing new to offer, and the storyline is mostly boring.
It's redeeming features: - some good performances - ?
Does that mean it's a bad movie? Not necessarily. It's just not very good. Its flaws can be excused by the director's inexperience, and who knows, Ben might become a star director one day. I give him the benefit of doubt. But please, get real and admit that this is by no means a masterpiece, or even a good movie. My advice would be to wait until its released on DVD.
4 out of 10
***POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD***
As for the plot: seriously, one (1) idea is not enough to keep a two-hour movie afloat. Shyamalan might get away with it, but at least his films masterpieces they are not- have enough interesting material to keep you occupied for the first hour-and-a half. Which is not the case here. Drunken Irishmen, rookie detectives, dirty cops, dope-dealers, we've all seen it a hundred times before, done with a lot more style and wit. And as for the twist itself: it was predictable, and about as subtle as a brick trough a window. If you want to see some clever moral ambiguity, go see The Sopranos.
***END OF SPOILERS***