Gone Baby Gone (2007) -- Drama // One of My Favorite Movies Ever

Grade: A+

Star Rating: 9.3

{insert star chart here or something}


Netflix: Netflix has nothing good. 

Amazon: Don't pay them

"I would recommend this movie to just about anyone who enjoys fine cinema and fantastic writing & directing. This movie will take your breath away, make your heart stop, make your head spin, and make your stomach churn. A+ movie!"

Gone Baby Gone (2007) is perhaps my all time favorite movie.

Perhaps it's because the story is absolutely riveting and original (it's about a kidnapping and the subsequent investigation into said kidnapping), or perhaps it's because the acting is superb. It could be the directing style, or even the cinematography, but  I believe it's because I see myself in Casey Afflecks character. In fact, I'm probably going to end up along the same line of work.

The movie takes place in Boston, present day (circa 2007-whenever you're reading this like 2014).  Let me just start out by saying this is a no bullshit type of movie. It's dark. More on that later. It is, as many of Casey Affleck's movies are, a story of a man struggling with internal man v self problems. Compounding those moral dilemmas, present in just about every 'act' of the movie, is the reoccurring theme of hopelessness. I'm not sure the term noir film applies, but the film itself feels inescapable. This is theme is subtle, always present, but I feel it's what ties the movie together.

 Now, when I say this is a dark movie...without giving spoilers let me just say that for those who would consider themselves empaths, or get upset when "bad things" happen to good people, this is not the movie for you. This is a no bullshit type of movie. I'm not here to give a play by play, but suffice to say that by the time Morgan Freeman (yeah, that's fucking right!) walks in, you won't even care. You'll feel sick. You'll feel angry. You'll feel ashamed and you'll feel dirty. That's the point. This movie is one prolonged dark tunnel and you're passing through it with the characters. This is a roller coaster that will make you sick.

That's not to say there isn't a theme of hope stitched in, on the contrary, the timid quite Private Investigator Casey portrays has a glimmer of hope. His wife (I forget the actress and to be honest I just don't care...I believe she was the lord of the rings elf girl) also helps him throughout the story. The characters all feel like real people, sometimes making irrational choices that aren't in their best interest, and other times acting selflessly for others. Some characters are so well written you will feel like you've known them your whole life...and you'll want to wring their neck (you know a movie is good when you start to hate physically hate the actors because they're so damn good --- Like Walter White's Wife from Breaking Bad (wooo! THIS SUNDAY LAST EPISODE!! ...wait... aww D: anyway...)


The movie is filled with everything you could possibly want from a film. A strong start, strong characters, great dialog, riveting cinematography (oh god 'the house' scene -- and opening sequence with the sun over Boston if I remember correctly, it's been about a year), "twists and turns" (but none of that Shamalongadingsdong shit. This ain't no picnic bitch!), maybe even a car chase of sorts, violence, and a fantastic cast to really set the movie over the edge into one the decades all time greatest Dramas.

Again, I want to say the movie was "Noir" in nature, but I can't. It's not. It's not an action movie, but I swear my adrenaline peaked higher watching this film FOR THE THIRD TIME than at any point during Speed or Die Hard. This is a mature movie, for adults. No, I don't mean porn, I just mean unless you're a grown adult, or growing adult who understands mature concepts such as brotherhood, police brutality, rape, motherhood, and death than I suggest you steer clear.

Overall, I can't give this movie anything less than 5 stars. Fortunately, I'm going by a A-F scale so I'm going to leave you with this.

This movie is absolutely riveting.

When you finally catch your breath, and your heads stops spinning just long enough to put the puzzle together, you will wish you could spit the sour taste from your mouth onto the cold Boston pavement....only to realize, you're not in Boston (I mean...unless you are...). You're still sitting on your couch.

A to A+ movie.