Movies - Gone Baby Gone

Ben Affleck has directed a movie. And it's quite good.

Gone Baby Gone is based on the book of the same name written by Denis Lehane. The film picks up Lehane's fourth novel concerning Boston private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. Kenzie (Casey Affleck) is asked by the aunt of a missing girl to investigate her disappearance. Her mother leads a less than exemplary life, and there is a suspicion that her seedy activities may have put the child in harm's way. The cops want him to butt out, even his partner is reluctant to take on such a potentially distressing case. But Kenzie is like a dog with a bone and wants to uncover the truth.

What follows is a very solid, interesting thriller, climaxing in a powerhouse of an ending that will unfold into an ethical debate well after the credits role. It's rare that a movie packs such an emotional punch. The director, like Lehane, is a native of Boston, although the cities tourist board will not be celebrating this release . You will not see stereo-typical Boston scenes or Ally McBeal-alikes strolling wistfully down leafy streets, enveloped in a perky soundtrack. It's a crime drama, involving murderers, drug lords and paedophiles all against a backdrop of seedy bars and run down neighborhoods. Most of the extras and some of the speaking roles are performed by Bostonians that the director pulled of the street. One character is so hideous, she has to be for real. Casey Affleck, gives a credible performance, even if his accent is a little off putting. He has the right mix of strength and integrity that the character requires. Michelle Monaghan is less satisfying in the role of Gennaro, but it's not her fault. Angie has a much bigger part to play in the books but this script is all about Mc Kenzie, and Monaghan really has very little to do apart from voicing his moral conscience.

My one grumble is the inclusion of Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris in seemingly lesser roles. A director does not include this calibre of actor unless they ultimately have something do to. And unfortunately, in a cast of lesser-known actors, they are far too conspicuous.

This movie was pulled from theater release in the UK because of its similarity to the disappearance of Madeline McCann. In truth, the first 10 minutes may be reminiscent of the real-life case, but the comparison stops there. Movies need to stir thought, provoke debate and reflect the world at large. In an age of CGI over character and product placement over plot, it's a shame that this movie will not see a wider audience.