Great surprise and another proof that actors can direct

Rating: 8/10 (28 January 2008)

Ben Affleck's first directing try and definitely good one. "Gone Baby Gone" is not a masterpiece, 'only' a good movie and one of the biggest surprises of 2007. Why? Story is the most important part of every movie. This one has the story and it talks about disappearance of 4 year old Amanda McCready (Madeline O'Brien). Amanda's mother Helene (Amy Ryan) is drug addict so girl's aunt Beatrice McCready (Amy Madigan) hires two private detectives: Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan), who all also lovers. Chief of police Jack Doyle (Morgan Freeman) wants to find the girl, as he is tormented with the disappearance and death of his own daughter, so he assigns detectives Bressant (Ed Harris) and Poole (John Ashton) to help Patrick and Angie.
Story is simply great, because you don't know what is going to happen till the end and the suspense is also on top. What is also good is that Affleck managed to present us great shoots of Boston and his interiors are also remarkable (especially house of Trett family). If you have a good script you can attract good actors too. Ben had luck so he could hire his brother Casey for the main role and on that way he managed to escape his own appearance in this movie (which is great because he could stay focused only on directing). Ben also knows abilities of Casey and two of them works just fine. This script also attracted great stars like Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris (my personal favorite in this movie). But Amy Ryan (Oscar nomination) in the role of Helene provides us what this film needs. Great role of mother who is torn between drugs and her missing baby. Only one thing that bothered me in this casting: Michelle Monaghan. Her character is in this story only because of that scene when Patrick has to choose what he will do at the end. Monaghan wasn't given a role so she could show her acting abilities and that is the only weak link of this great scenario.
My favorite scenes are conversation between Patrick and Bressant, when Bressant is drinking (Harris is great!!!) and of course the last scenes in the McCready house and the whole issue that is put in front of Patrick (cause he controls Amanda's future). At the end I've got one plea. Please watch this movie, cause it's good, strong and innovative.