A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: Gone Baby Gone

Date Viewed: 10/27/07

Details:

Casey Affleck

Michelle Monaghan

Morgan Freeman

Ed Harris

John Ashton

Amy Ryan

Director: Ben Affleck

Score: +

The Review: Seriously twisted plot adapted from the novel by Dennis Lehane (who also wrote the award-winning Mystic River), this is Ben Affleck's first turn at the directorial helm. It's a mystery / crime thriller (in the Patrick Kenzie & Angie Gennaro series) situated in Boston, showing some of its less pleasant underbelly. And a brief trip down memory lane into the Quincy quarries (where I used to rock climb a generation or two ago).

The crime is the kidnapping of a Southie infant. The official team is headed by detectives Bressant & Poole (Harris & Ashton), who report to a highly motivated police chief (Freeman). The unofficial team is a private investigator couple (brother Affleck & Monaghan) brought in by the infant's grandparents, who want someone with a closer (grittier) connection to the neighborhood. The mother (Ryan) is not at all eager to have the two P.I.s involved, and the reason becomes but one of the plot turns that slowly get revealed. This film ventures into some ethically turbulent areas.

The acting is very good all-round, which gives you something to watch while puzzling through some Gordian knots. Ashton is familiar from the Beverly Hills Cops movies; Harris plays the New Orleans card; and Freeman takes a very unusual turn in his role as Jack Doyle.

(1-Jan-08)

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