Gone Baby Gone

When an actor makes a directing debut it usually doesn’t take long before the criticism comes trailing behind it.  When Ben Affleck takes a shot at directing, one can’t help but think of “Gigli.” It makes for an unfair situation, but the harsh criticism of the past has sent Ben Affleck’s new film, “Gone Baby Gone,” under an even bigger microscope than expected. With a past of numerous Hollywood mishaps, Ben Affleck may have finally found a way to redeem himself.

In “Gone Baby Gone,” Ben Affleck takes on a story woven in a narrative that plays just like a great book. At the heart of it all is Affleck’s brother, Casey Affleck, in the lead role. Casey plays Patrick Kenzie, a private investigator who is asked to aid in the investigation of a missing 4-year-old girl. When Patrick takes on the task with his wife (Michelle Monaghan), their initial analysis is that they could do no harm in helping. Exhibited to the furthest extent in Casey’s performance, we see that their reasoning omitted the severe burden being placed on themselves.

When looking at how patiently Ben lets his story unfold, it becomes easy to see how important a sense of morality is in this picture. As much as this is a story about doing what is right, it brings up unanswerable questions that our main character becomes the example of. Casey brilliantly depicts the troubled and weary mind of Patrick as he ultimately places the weight of what he loves on his shoulders.

In the end, it is the Affleck brothers who have dug so deeply into our own thoughts by creating a central conflict that could be morally interpreted in multiple ways. The Affleck brothers have finally shown, whole-heartedly, the importance of their contributions to the Hollywood realm.

Gone Baby Gone

Rated R for violence, drug content and pervasive language

Runtime: 114 min.

Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, and Ed Harris

Directed by Ben Affleck