extremely powerful drama

Rating: 9/10 (2 January 2011)

I was never much of a fan of either Ben or Casey Affleck, and so originally had no desire to see this film. But I kept hearing good things about it, and so tuned in one afternoon when I saw that it was on TV, coming in midway through the film. I watched about five minutes before turning the TV off -- not because I didn't like what I saw, but because I was so impressed that I wanted to order the film and watch it from the beginning. I wasn't disappointed; this is the film that made me a fan of both Afflecks.
Casey is terrific as the gumshoe searching for a missing little girl through the gritty, dangerous streets of a very blue-collar Boston neighborhood, sticking his nose into places where he is so obviously not welcome. Ben Affleck's direction is incredibly deft, patient, and subtle. There are a myriad of twists and turns, not just in the plot but in the characters themselves; everyone has a dark side and even most of the so-called bad guys have understandable, even noble motivations.
This is a drama but be forewarned: there are several bursts of very graphic violence and the language is very, very rough. There are no easy, pat, Hollywood-type solutions to this film, either, and some viewers may be frustrated by the ending, but that's exactly one of the reasons that I found it so satisfying; it feels messy and real. One of the best crime dramas that I've ever seen.