Ben Affleck can’t catch a break. Gone Baby Gone, screenplay written and directed by Affleck, and starring his younger brother Casey was all set ready for release just as the Madeline McCann story became the Daily Mail’s latest crusade. If you haven’t heard of it already, based on a Dennis LeHane novel, its the story of a missing girl with a negligent parent (make your own conclusions as to the McCann parallels), that turns into a suitably gritty and compelling piece of work, with star turns by Casey Affleck, and Ed Harris.
As a result of its timing, Miramax canned Gone Baby Gone’s europe release, but released it to US audiences back last October, and proceeded to release to select regions thereafter. Not on UK release until this June, I’d recommend seeking it out on import or via torrent (pop Ben a cheque in the post o course), as its top notch piece of work that due to the subject matter is bound to end up overlooked.
Sadly its one of those movies you can’t really write up without giving away some of the many twists in the tale. But just to flesh things out, Casey Affleck plays Patrick, who along with his girlfriend is a private investigator specialising in missing persons. Approached by the missing girl’s aunt, Patrick and partner Angie are compelled to take up the case, but as soon as the reasons behind the girl’s disappearance begin to unravel it becomes clear there are many more threads than your average kidnap drama, and as the film hits its midpoint, I genuinely thought it’d played out (you’ll know the part I mean!), but it then went on to really show its hand by outsmarting the audience who may have been fooled by an average pace up until that point. Being a not particularly astute film reader I am usually the one left at the end going “So she was his sister the whole time?” or something equally as stupid, so whilst watch Gone Baby Gone I was completely surprised by where they took the story and some excellent pacing, but my girlfriend tells me she saw the main twist coming.. i’ll let you decide for yourselves, check it out this June.
Oh and keep an eye out for Omar Little himself, the wire’s Michael K Williams.
