Gone Baby Gone
2007
****
Director: Ben Affleck
Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, John Ashton, Amy Ryan, Amy Madigan, Titus Welliver, Michael K. Williams, Edi Gathegi, Mark Margolis, Madeline O’Brien, Slaine, Sean Malone, Trudi Goodman
A private investigator couple are hired to find a four‑year‑old girl after she disappears from her working-class home in Boston. As they follow various leads, they uncover layers of deceit and corruption and are forced to confront a harrowing moral dilemma. Ben Affleck's compelling directorial debut is based on Dennis Lehane's 1998 novel. The film not only delivers a solid crime mystery but also challenges our notions of right and wrong. The dialogue sizzles, and the story is refreshingly gritty and captivating, even if some casting choices spoil upcoming plot twists. The performances are very strong, with Casey Affleck and Amy Ryan standing out in particular.
