Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

I saw someone on Film Twitter mention Gone Baby Gone as one of Ben Affleck’s best movies. I did some digging and realised it was a pretty backhanded compliment as Affleck doesn’t actually star in the movie. I then read about the praise he got for this movie which was his directorial debut and thought, sure why the heck not.

Private Investigators Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) have been called in to consult by the McCready family when four-year-old Amanda McCready is abducted.

As things go from bad to worse with the case and all those involved, Kenzie can’t stop himself from picking at the loose threads until he comes up against a truth, which may end up hurting him more than the lie.

I was surprised to find I liked the movie. I say surprised because for me it started off a little slow, even though from an audience perspective we jumped right into the middle of the story as Amanda was already missing.

The community setting secured the believability of the world, from the casualness of the down and out residents and illegal activity bubbling just below the surface. There was a rawness to the reality created in the movie that kept me intrigued throughout.

Gone Baby Gone took turns I didn’t fully expect but what was probably my favourite aspect of this movie is that it gave food for thought. There was a question of what is right and what is wrong, as well as an internal struggle of when to stand for your beliefs and when to roll over. I do like a movie that sticks with me for days and makes me debate and question.

What I didn’t like about this movie is that Angie Gennaro was a pointless character. Trust me I wish she was more integral to the plot but she barely spoke, didn’t so much as add to the investigation, and seemed more like a puppy following around their owner than a partner. I find it so strange that she was characterised this way when in the book series for which this movie is based she has a lot more depth.

The depiction of women in film everybody.

I can see why the Affleck’s got professional nods for their roles within this movie. It’s one I would definitely recommend if you haven’t seen it and you like a good drama-mystery movie.