While most people don't have any problems choosing between right and wrong, certain portions of the population obviously do. After all, that's why jails and prisons exist, and why they're usually rather full. What happens, however, when the right choice is also a bad one? That's where the old saying of choosing the lesser of two evils comes into play, but that doesn't always make such a decision any easier.
That very moral ambiguity is at the heart of "Gone Baby Gone." Yet, that shouldn't come as a surprise considering that it's based on the novel of the same title by Dennis Lehane, who also wrote "Mystic River," yet another tale of making choices that director Clint Eastwood turned into a terrific film back in 2003.
Now it's Ben Affleck's turn at working with the novelist's rich source material. What's that you ask? Yes, it's that Ben Affleck of Bennifer fame, the handsome lad who's made some bad career choices that have left him less than a critic's darling. That said, he's also turned in some solid work (such as last year's "Hollywoodland") and won a screenwriting Oscar with Matt Damon for "Good Will Hunting."
Although there are some problems to be had with this adaptation (that Affleck penned with Aaron Stockard), this is a heck of a directorial debut that may turn him into a younger version of Eastwood who's seemingly more at ease behind rather than in front of the camera. That is, at least until he decides to run for political office, probably starting as something like mayor of his hometown, Boston, but I digress.
Speaking of his stomping grounds, the film is set -- like "Mystic River" -- in Beantown and Affleck has populated his film with various locals (for background and minor parts) as well as those he knows a bit better. The latter obviously refers to his little brother Casey who, when also taking into account his work in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," is having a stellar year.
The younger Affleck plays a rough around the edges private detective who, along with his girlfriend partner (Michelle Monaghan), is hired to find a missing girl. The fact that her mom (Amy Ryan) is a junkie and otherwise lowlife means he can use his less than savory neighborhood connections to his advantage in trying to find the girl.
Also searching for her are two cops (John Ashton and the always reliable and mesmerizing to watch Ed Harris) who aren't happy to accommodate the civilians. They reluctantly agree due to their marching orders from Morgan Freeman's police captain character who has a personal reason for being so vested in such cases.
Freeman's character might make some worry that he'll yet again be working as the film's storyteller in providing the voice over narration. Thankfully, he doesn't (and he delivers another solid performance with the usual dramatic gravitas he brings to the table just by showing up), but the younger Affleck does.
While his older bro' wisely avoids using that throughout the film, it's an unnecessary and too convenient storytelling device for imparting tone and characteristics into the proceedings. Likewise, Affleck the elder's use of flashbacks to explain things and/or remind us what we've already seen feels amateurish and out of place in what's otherwise a nicely polished package.
The only other issue I had with the film is with the story's conclusion. That's not to say that I think a character chose the wrong one of the two presented evils. Instead, it's one of those evils in principal. That obviously can't be discussed in depth without giving away the ending, but let's just say while I agree with the motivation that's at play, I just couldn't buy into the overall plan.
That said, if you don't have the same sort of issue, you'll probably view the film as building to a crackerjack conclusion. If anything, it will certainly keep viewers guessing until the end, and there's certainly something to be said about that. Which also holds true for work from the brothers Affleck, although Ben must certainly get his kudos for delivering a fairly impressive directorial debut with only a smattering of issues that prevent it from being brilliant. "Gone Baby Gone" rates as a 7 out of 10.
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