Gone Baby Gone (2007)

On the surface, Gone Baby Gone tells the story of a missing child and the two private investigators who are hired to find her. The story transforms into a highly disturbing tale of selfish, terrifying characters and the fact that no matter what people never change.

Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan star as a pair of private investigators based in the rough working class Dorchester district of Boston. The two are hired by the family of a missing four-year-old girl to assist the police investigation because of their street connections and ability to get people to talk who otherwise would never open up to a cop. As they navigate through the neighborhood's seamy underbelly of pimps, drug dealers and crack whores they uncover an ever-expanding mystery that takes on the added dimension of provoking the question of just what is right and what is wrong, firmly pitting both story and viewer in a struggle between situational ethics and moral absolutes.Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris round out an impressive cast, but it's the younger Affleck who takes this movie on his back and runs with it, easily surpassing his director brother in terms of acting breadth and range.Amy Ryan does a great job playing her character… a bad role-model for a parent
It's been a long time since I was given cause to reflect upon the values that we hold dear as individuals and a society, and the moral foundations upon which they are based.
Gone Baby Gone manages this and wraps it up in a hard-hitting detective story that serves as much to satisfy the baser urges of bar fights and gun play, as it does tackling bigger issues.
Director Affleck maintains an admirable tone of objectivity and compassion throughout, and he has made a film that is worthy of your time. he directs the film as if looking for a right answer to injustices against children without burying the film in manipulative sentiment. It's an insightful affair and a good vehicle for Casey Affleck as actor and good feature directorial debut for big brother Ben.
3.5/5