Gone Baby Gone

I took awhile before sitting down to write this review because it's a difficult one to write. The story is too complex to dissect in full: it's about a drug-addicted, neglectful mother, whose daughter (Amanda) is kidnapped. A private investigator, Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) is hired due to his inside knowledge of the Boston neighbourhood. Chief Doyle (Morgan Freeman) lost a young daughter of his own and is dedicated to persevere on the issue of missing children. After Patrick stumbles upon inside information, he is drawn more and more into mystery and corruption, as he constantly tries to make the honourable decision.

The movie blurs the lines between right and wrong. Patrick is constantly taking risks to find Amanda: he offers an under the table exchange with a drug lord, and he seeks to uncover the truth behind corrupt cops - typical vigilante stuff. But in his final decision, Patrick goes up against his notions of love and sacrifice for the state. (spoilers) He discovers that Chief Doyle had Amanda all along, and he is forced to decide on whether to expose Chief Doyle for the selfish kidnapper that he is. His wife claims she will hate him for returning the girl because despite it being the "right" thing to do, the mother was a no-good, lying, drug-addict. Patrick believes that the mother will change, and that he owes it to Amanda who, when she grows up, would have her real identity. In the end, Patrick realizes his mistake, as the mother does not show signs of change, opting to sleep around on dates while leaving her 8-year-old daughter at home unattended. Despite Chief Doyle's delusional motives for kidnapping the girl (to fill a void in his life for his own lost daughter), you really get the sense that he's a good person that wanted to save her from a bad home. In a way, everyone loses - Patrick loses his partner, Chief Doyle goes to jail, Remy (a corrupt police officer played by Ed Harris) dies, and the girl is left with a loser of a mother. The movie delivers strong emotions to masterfully emphasize its point. (spoilers end)

Casey Affleck, Morgan Freeman, Michelle Monaghan, and Ed Harris were all superb in Gone Baby Gone. Casey's acting resume is much better than Ben Affleck's is, but Ben did a great job in his directorial debut. This movie is a lock to be nominated for Best Picture, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it won.