A Superb, Morally Compex Film

Rating: 10/10 (4 December 2007)

Gone Baby Gone is the best film I've seen so far this year. I can't think of another movie that is so mournful, or another mood piece which so perfectly and beautifully sustains its mood throughout.
Ben Affleck memorably has compassion and empathy for his characters, while not shrinking away from the appalling aspects of their personalities and the grimness of dead-end lives And what a joy to see a thoughtful movie with moral ambiguities, one that is asks hard questions and presents no easy answers. The ethical struggles through which the characters are going are so deeply expressed as to be completely palpable, and this is accomplished without an ounce of sentimentality.
Affleck's non-judgmental stance towards most of the characters adds to the depth and richness of the picture. The film's ambiance is also superb  the production design, costumes, extras all convey such a strong sense of a very particular place.
And what acting! If we didn't know Amy Ryan was an acclaimed stage actress, we'd assumed she was someone Affleck came upon at a bar in Dorchester. She's uncannily good. And a shout out to Amy Madigan, who is just as impressive (and in some ways even more terrifying than Ryan). As for Casey  wow! After The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Bob Ford, another superb and unforgettably self-effacing performance. One of the most exciting things film-wise this year has been his emergence as a major, major acting talent. I love what Mahnola Dargis wrote in the NY Times: "I'm not sure exactly when Casey Affleck became such a good actor." A truly haunting achievement.