Affleck directs successful film

By Tanner Boyd

Published Oct. 26, 2007

Say what you will about Ben Affleck and his ability to act as nothing more than a tool on movie screens worldwide, but the kid can direct. "Gone Baby Gone" is an enjoyable surprise given many take pause upon hearing the words, "a Ben Affleck film." Many viewers, myself included, overlook that Ben Affleck has some chops when it comes to character development.

"Gone Baby Gone" is a rare movie that requires the viewer to mentally interact instead of just munch on Jujubes. The story follows doe-eyed private investigator Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) as he searches for an abducted girl in his Boston neighborhood. Instead of just limiting the script to a mind-fuck whodunit, Affleck and fellow screenwriter Aaron Stockard take Dennis Lehane's novel and create an exercise in moral thought.

The gray areas of what is right and what is necessary brings more to the plot than the actual case being solved. Still, the hot button issue of a child abduction case does offer a complement to the plot's impact. As Kenzie is taken on a crash course that blurs the lines between nobility and the badge, the viewer is also stretched to think outside his or her own comfort zone. This struggle the viewer shares with Kenzie is one of the reasons why "Gone Baby Gone" is certainly one of the most entertaining and thought-provoking films of the year.

Lil' Affleck plays Kenzie with a great mix of insecurity and machismo. He starts off as sympathetic then either gains or loses your confidence based on the decisions he makes throughout the movie. His lover and partner, Angie (Michelle Monaghan), offers a nice balance and reason to Kenzie's character, while Morgan Freeman turns in an average performance as a policeman in charge of missing-persons cases. The real star of this film is Ed Harris, who is phenomenal as hardened veteran Detective Remy Bressant. The conviction Harris brings to his character is quite impressive, and he goes beyond just being your typical hard-ass cop. I would be surprised if Harris is not mentioned come Oscar season.

But "Gone Baby Gone" does have its faults. The climax might be argued by many as too Hollywood, and some dialogue might come off as too "NYPD Blue." Just when you think the film is getting into crime solving predictability, though, Affleck is able to bring morality back to the forefront.

Affleck brings a genuine sense of reality as a director. His devotion to the cause and effects of neighborhood relationships as seen in this movie and "Good Will Hunting" might soon become his trademark.

One thing is certain, though, and that is that Affleck can be brought back into movie conversation without complete mockery. He is no prodigal son, but there are few instances of celluloid career comebacks, so Affleck has certainly shown us something.