Don't read too far into the title of this post - I thought this movie was very good. Not excellent. It gets a little sloppy in and directly after the 2nd act's conclusion. But, and with all things considered (Ben Affleck directing and the casting of his own brother) the film is very solid and features one of the more somber and satisfying conclusions I have ever seen. The movie ends on such a fantastic note that it overshadows all that came before and really reflects how strong the filmmaking is from top to bottom. This movie earns the right to ask a very difficult question at its end.
The movie is about the kidnapping of a child , and deals with the abuse of children as a means to defining them for the rest of their lives. Tough, right? This is very serious subject matter and Affleck does not shy away from it.
What makes the film successful, though, is the way that Boston truly becomes a character in the movie. Affleck knows the terrain well and drapes the movie in all things Boston. Is doesn't hurt that he gets a handful of very good performances. Ed Harris is solid, if typical, as an uber-intense cop with a hard-on for abusive or neglectful parents. Morgan Freeman makes what is essentially an extended cameo as the head of a department for the Boston PD. Michelle Mongahan in on hand as the sturdy female sidekick/lover, but she isn't given much to do.
The two strongest performances come from Casey Affleck as a tough guy with something to prove and Amy Ryan as the kidnapped girl's mother. Ryan, in particular, is great. You hate her, but she is absolutely fantastic and leaves a lasting impression. There's a nomination here for her.
Casey Affleck has come a long way this year, with his award-caliber role in The assassination of Jesse James. Here, he is different; confident, honest, and sporting something resembling a little man's complex. He is very good here and shows a lot of confidence with actors that should blow him off the screen, but don't.
The kicker, though, is this film's ending, and the division it can cause. It asks a truly difficult question and refuses to take a side. What is RIGHT and what is Morally right. The answer, you may find, could tell you something about yourself and it depends almost entirely on personal belief. The ending takes Gone Baby Gone from thriller to a serious probe of the human condition.
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