Do you know people in the neighborhood who don't talk to the police? Gone Baby Gone is directed by Ben Affleck and Affleck co-adapts the screenplay with Aaron Stockard from the novel of the same name written by Dennis Lehane. It stars Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, John Ashton and Amy Ryan. Music is by Harry Gregson Williams and cinematography by John Toll. Private Investigators Patrick Kenzie (Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Monaghan) are hired to find missing child Amanda McCready (Madeline O'Brien). It appears to be a simple case of a kidnapping, but the deeper the investigators go the darker the truths become. A potent drama, Gone Baby Gone offers up a mystery that is propelled by moral murkiness. Unsurprisingly given it's from a Lehane novel, the twists and deep characterisations dovetail seamlessly with the very real feel of a Boston neighbourhood, the sense of place and community superbly marshalled by Ben Affleck (in what was his debut as a director). The story is so strong it makes us the viewers part of the search for missing Amanda, which in turn forces us to answer the ethical quandaries thrust upon Patrick Kenzie. With tech credits firmly in the plus column and the director un-showy and assured enough to keep the key third act from dragging the picture down, this proves to be very good film making. Pic only has minor faults to be bothered by. Monaghan is a fine actress but she is hard to take here in a street wise role, though with a nicely cast Casey Affleck dominating their scenes she gets away with it. The sharp of mind should pick up on what is driving the mystery forward, whilst the ambiguity at resolution point can go either way for respective viewers appreciation or otherwise. But this is all told a rewarding piece of adult cinema and recommended for sure. 8/10
**Overall : A well-done mystery thriller with a melancholy tone that never lets up and ultimately leaves the viewer a little more sad than satisfied.** Ben Affleck's debut as a director was a decent start. Gone Baby Gone is a crime thriller with significant surprises and twists. The excellent cast and performances accentuated the emotional toll of working on a kidnapping case, and that emotional weight saturates every aspect of the film. Unfortunately, that heavy tone makes the movie a little challenging to enjoy. The dismal and somber mood throughout left me just feeling sad at the end. That poignant hopeless nature was clearly the goal and was well executed but keeps it from being a traditionally "enjoyable" film.
Private detectives "Patrick" (Casey Affleck) and "Angie" (Michelle Monaghan) are drafted in by the mother of a missing girl to try to find out what's happened. This is pretty much virgin territory for the pair, but they are local and so might be able to unearth sources unwilling to discuss with the police efforts being led by "Doyle" (Morgan Freeman). Now it's fair to say that the child's mother "Helene" (Amy Ryan) is probably not the most attentive of parents, but she is determined to be reunited with her daughter. What now ensues follows this investigation into their Boston suburb - one that takes them into contact with crooks, drug dealers and an whole fraternity of dangerous hoodlums. Their searching does, however, start to bear fruit - and not a kind of fruit that they really want to discover. The plot thickens and twists and evidence of just who did what and, as importantly, why emerges that causes quite a moral dilemma for the pair. There is a strong dynamic here between the very much on-form partnership of Affleck and Monaghan and the former's brother (Ben) directs this film with consistent pace and a plausible degree of menace. Serendipity takes just too much of an hand in the ending for my liking, but it's still a compelling and thought provoking story that ends up by asking us all a question - the answer to which is not necessarily straightforward. Freeman really only features sparingly, but there are solid supporting contributions from Ed Harris and, to a lesser extent, from Titus Welliver that all help deliver a taut and intriguing drama that is well worth a watch.
A married society woman strikes up a romance with a young musician. She introduces the man to high society. The society woman eventually decides to break off the relationship and the musician attempts to blackmail her.
Movie Star Rating : 0 Read More
A grieving mother hires a filmmaker and a tracker to help document her search in the Florida wilderness, as she hunts a cult she believes murdered her daughter.
Movie Star Rating : 0 Read More
After a brutal robbery, a Shopkeeper sets out to get back what was stolen from him: his pride. Featuring a unique blend of fiction and reality.
Movie Star Rating : 0 Read More
Willi is 18 years old and lives on the street. Without a goal in his life he walks around the city and meets several people, helping but also cheating him. When he meets a girl, Monica, he realizes that there are people out there whose lives are even more desperate than his. So he's trying to help her (and him) by planning a great robbery on a supermarket's money transporter.
Movie Star Rating : 6.6 Read More
Ingo Hasselbach, whose parents were Communist Party members in East Germany during his childhood, has lived at both ends of the political seesaw. The question of how people reach a change of heart is a profound one; Hasselbach describes the external forces that led to his founding Germany's first neo-Nazi political party and the internal ones that led him away from it five years later.
Movie Star Rating : 6.3 Read More
In the wilderness of British Columbia, two hunters are tracked and viciously murdered by Aaron Hallum. A former Special Operations instructor is approached and asked to apprehend Hallum—his former student—who has 'gone rogue' after suffering severe battle stress from his time in Kosovo.
Movie Star Rating : 6.2 Read More
African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie, the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi. After Tibbs proves not only his own innocence but that of another man, he joins forces with Gillespie to track down the real killer. Their investigation takes them through every social level of the town, with Tibbs making enemies as well as unlikely friends as he hunts for the truth.
Movie Star Rating : 7.7 Read More
Successful surgeon Tomas leaves Prague for an operation, meets a young photographer named Tereza, and brings her back with him. Tereza is surprised to learn that Tomas is already having an affair with the bohemian Sabina, but when the Soviet invasion occurs, all three flee to Switzerland. Sabina begins an affair, Tom continues womanizing, and Tereza, disgusted, returns to Czechoslovakia. Realizing his mistake, Tomas decides to chase after her.
Movie Star Rating : 6.9 Read More
Dirty Harry Callahan returns for his final film adventure. Together with his partner Al Quan, he must investigate the systematic murder of actors and musicians. By the time Harry learns that the murders are a part of a sick game to predict the deaths of celebrities before they happen, it may be too late...
Movie Star Rating : 6.3 Read More
H. P. Lovecrafts The Old Ones 2024 - Movies (Mar 19th)
Felines 2023 - Movies (Mar 19th)
French Girl 2024 - Movies (Mar 19th)
Bob Marley One Love 2024 - Movies (Mar 19th)
Psycho Goreman 2023 - Movies (Mar 18th)
Shayda 2023 - Movies (Mar 18th)
Night Cops 2023 - Movies (Mar 18th)
Unexpected 2023 - Movies (Mar 18th)
Stormy 2024 - Movies (Mar 18th)
The Beekeeper 2024 - Movies (Mar 16th)
Madame Web 2024 - Movies (Mar 15th)
Stopmotion 2023 - Movies (Mar 15th)
Cool Cat vs Dirty Dog The Virus Wars 2023 - Movies (Mar 15th)
The Hobby 2024 - Movies (Mar 15th)
Irish Wish 2024 - Movies (Mar 15th)
Aftermath 2024 - Movies (Mar 14th)
The Bloody Hundredth 2024 - Movies (Mar 15th)
A Whole Life 2023 - Movies (Mar 14th)
Art of Love 2024 - Movies (Mar 14th)
ROMI 2023 - Movies (Mar 14th)
Frida 2024 - Movies (Mar 14th)
The Bachelor - (Mar 19th)
The Cook Up with Adam Liaw - (Mar 19th)
Tipping Point Australia - (Mar 19th)
Coma - (Mar 19th)
Secrets of Polygamy - (Mar 19th)
Hoarders - (Mar 19th)
Historys Greatest Mysteries - (Mar 19th)
Below Deck - (Mar 19th)
The Real Manhunter - (Mar 19th)
Back Roads - (Mar 19th)
University Challenge - (Mar 19th)
Escape to the Country - (Mar 19th)
WWE Raw - (Mar 19th)
The Rachel Maddow Show - (Mar 19th)
The Last Word with Lawrence ODonnell - (Mar 19th)
The Beat with Ari Melber - (Mar 19th)
The ReidOut - (Mar 19th)
Contraband- Seized at the Border - (Mar 19th)
Seeking Sister Wife - (Mar 19th)
90 Day Fiance- Pillow Talk - (Mar 19th)