Fair, balanced and devastating

Rating: 9/10 (15 February 2008)

Remind me to never again judge a screenwriter/director's potential based on his acting roles ... of course, I was thinking about Ben Afflek in Gigli rather than as co-writer of Good Will Hunting when I approached Gone Baby Gone with a bit of wariness.
This movie would have affected me profoundly even if it hadn't been about a choice I have personally had to make. The experience was and, 25 years later, is still gut-wrenching, but somehow this movie brought me a bit of peace that I was sure I'd never find.
There were an amazing number of extraordinary performances (I thought this was one of Ed Harris' most powerful characterizations, and Amy Ryan portrayed a person from my personal past with chilling accuracy). But beyond that, this movie was given power and impact, not from taking sides in a polarizing situation, but from its clean, incisive and Solomon-like viewpoint, a viewpoint which is made more poignant by the commentary of the protagonist, who did choose sides.
I am awed by every facet of this movie, and thank the Affleck brothers, Aaron Stockard, Dennis Lehane, and the entire extraordinary cast for the gift of this movie.