Gone Baby Gone

Contentious acting decisions aside, Ben Affleck seems like a pretty clever guy. Assuming that guns and threats about family members figured frequently in the negotiations for Daredevil*, then after Gone Baby Gone I'm willing to forgive him for almost anything. It's the Hollywood version of a clean slate. Although to be fair this is his second after Good Will Hunting, but that was for writing, so we're talking separate Get Out of Jail Free Cards here.

Patrick Kenzie (played by little bro Casey Affleck) is a private detective hired by relatives of Amanda, a child who was presumably kidnapped by nefarious forces. Believing that the police are focusing too much on the 'big picture' of the kidnapping ,he, together with girlfriend/ loyal sidekick Angie (Michelle Monaghan) search for the child, relying just as much on their knowledge of the city and the people that inhabit it as traditional police work. Throughout, Affleck plays to a more working class slant on the traditional private detective, both in terms of social status and experience, as it is obvious that a kidnapped girl is miles out of his normal job description.

The plotline's three very distinct chapters give Affleck ample time to not only tell a story that could almost define the term 'neo-noir', but also to wax philosophical on the relationship between parent and child. In very loose terms, it feels a little like faux indie love fest Juno, in that it turns from something very mass audience friendly into a self propagandizing discussion on the morality of parenting children. Although they have very different endings, the scary thing is, just like Juno, it works.
The utter craziness of the whole situation is incredible: if a few months ago you told that I would saying that Ben Affleck was involved in one the best noir movies in decades, then I would have laid you out like you were the dude off Desperate Housewives.

Gone Baby Gone is his first shot (no pun, please, I'm pouring my affections for Ben Affleck onto the page) at directing, and simply put, he nails it like it was... must.resist.putting.Jennifer.Garner.joke.here.
Affleck not only succeeds at capturing some of the most visceral (both visibly and emotionally) scenes of the year, but he integrates them into a movie with a sense of belonging, familiarity and style. Set among the streets of lower class Boston, it feels just as much an homage to the landmarks and the people that live there as it does a kidnapping movie. Throughout Gone he casts a forgiving and loving eye over those who we would normally stereotype as being trailer-trash, or whatever other racial stereotype is applicable.
In addition to Affleck's role as director, special commendation should go to Michelle Monaghan who give a wonderfully understated performance as baby Affleck's sidekick. She was typically found sitting in a vaguely threatening way, just to the left of Affleck's character, often appearing to play a role that would typically be more suited to a large, surly looking male.


Also, look for the sequel this fall called Gone, Totally Gone, I understand that it's a revealing look at Misha Barton's post the OC career.

That's right. I went there. Yall can't stop me.



* I mean Daredevil the movie, not accepting Matt Damon's challenge to marry Jennifer Lopez.

*Actually, you know that scene in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Where Robert Downey Jr gets his ass kicked for picking a fight with a potential rapist/creepy dude? That's what it would have been like. Not to imply that you're a rapist or anything, just that you could totally kick my ass.