Not perfect, but all around excellent otherwise

Rating: 8/10 (27 October 2007)

Even to this day, I have yet to understand how the trend of Ben Affleck bashing started. Yeah, the man has starred in some pretty awful films, but then, which supremely entertaining and brilliant actor has not? Is there really something so godawful and putrid about Affleck's style that just seems to irk everyone into stereotypically bashing him? It bothers me to no end, but after being one of the few campaigning for awards recognition last year for his dazzling supporting turn in the otherwise forgettable Hollywoodland, and now after seeing his written/directed effort of Gone Baby Gone, I can only hope that these stereotypes will come to an end.
Gone Baby Gone revolves around private detective Patrick Kenzie (Ben's little brother Casey Affleck). Kenzie is hired, alongside with his live in partner Angie (Michelle Monaghan), to help police find a missing little girl. Kenzie, known for his knowledge of many of Boston's degenerates, seems to be a natural fit for the job.
What follows, at its core, is a tale of morality. While I have never been the biggest fan of preachy films, Affleck manages to side step any reverend-esquire moments, and focuses in on simplistic cause and effect. Thankfully, in all of his years in Hollywood, he has managed to understand the thin line between gracious ponderings and blatant throat shovings. Even at its most convoluted moments, Gone Baby Gone stays very focused, and does not attempt to dwindle into the territory better suited for veteran directors and writers. The film does not play itself off as amateur on any instant, but it does not feel well rounded enough to be considered having been created by an expert.
And as much as I wanted to adore each and every frame of this film, it does have its flaws. The opening hour, as you more than likely have read, plays off immaculately, even if it feels like it could have been tightened more than it already is. For someone relatively new to the production side of things, Affleck pulls this off with finesse and grace. He knows just the right moments to play tense, and just the right moments to stay soft and brooding. It is thrilling and just all around excellent. But then, the film kind of trails itself off after it hits its emotional peak in the middle. As it builds towards its inevitable conclusion, it just plays itself a bit too loosely, and packs in a bit too much. Never once did I attempt to calculate its plausibility or question what was happening, I just think that Affleck wanted to cram far too much of Dennis Lehane's original work into the relatively short running time of the film. As said, for as convoluted as it gets, Affleck tries his best to keep it straight-laced, and for the most part, content aside, he does very well for himself.
What he also does well (or at least helps to do well), is bring the grittiness of Boston to life. Filled with images of his former neighbourhoods, the film is positively loaded with a sense of authenticity. This is a movie about Boston, from somebody who knows Boston. And with every passing moment, the film just reeks of being accurately depicted. I felt like I was living in that city, and never once did I think anyone had traveled out of there. It is just so accurately represented that the visuals practically become a character of their own. Having all the normal townspeople appear in crowd shots and in passing was a nice touch on his part as well.
He also does wonders with the script. Having co-written with Aaron Stockard, Affleck brings a real sense of urgency to the film. The words are hard-hitting, and have a solid impact on each scene. I wanted to try and not compare to the Oscar-winning Mystic River, but as the film went on, it just became impossible. Except while River wallowed in its own pedantic melodrama, Gone succeeds in consistently delivering the same awe-inspiring tone. It is heavily dramatic (and darkly hilarious in more than a few instances), but it knows when to stop pushing itself. It never overstays its welcome, and not once did I feel like it was trying to one-up itself like Clint Eastwood's take on a Lehane novel. I just think they could have better worked out the kinks of the second half of the film.
And if Affleck does great behind camera, than his actors do equally great in front. His brother Casey is an absolute marvel leading the film. I never thought of him as a lead actor, but seeing his genuine finesse and bold attitude at work here, I think that Hollywood just may have a new young lead to add to its rank. There is never a dull moment when he is on-screen, and his character's ballsy attitude helps propel him past even the likes of his own brother's best performances. This is a career making turn, and I can only hope that we can see such unbelievable work in the future.
The supporting cast is excellent as well. Ed Harris does wonders for the enigmatic detective Bressant. Tapping into the same frightening and thought-provoking demeanour as his character in A History of Violence, Harris lays on the strong acting and never once lets up. Morgan Freeman, much like Monaghan, appear very little in the film, but help really round out strong moments in the film. I just wish Affleck used them more. Amy Ryan is another particular standout as the mother of the missing child, and helps to bring a solid sense of pathos to the characters and to the film itself.
Even with its problems in the second half, Gone Baby Gone is a solid and well rounded effort from everybody involved. It deserves all the attention it gets, and I can only hope that means good things for Ben Affleck.
8/10.