Rating 8 / 10

“Gone Baby Gone” is the film the Affleck brothers have been waiting their whole lives for.

Ben Affleck, who directed and adapted the story from Dennis Lehane’s novel, can finally be recognized as a credible filmmaker after such career choices like “Paycheck” and “Surviving Christmas.”

Casey Affleck has been a supporting actor his entire career. He finally proves to be an outstanding leading man in this film.

Much in the same style of Lehane’s novel “Mystic River,” “Gone Baby Gone” is a gritty study of human nature and psychology.

After a 4-year-old girl is kidnapped, two private detectives (Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan) are hired to find her. The help of a cop (Ed Harris) and the guidance of a prestigious police captain (Morgan Freeman) puts a strain on the personal lives of everyone involved.

This will be the movie that makes Casey Affleck’s career. In a film that features acting royalty like Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris, Casey Affleck steals the entire film. Ben Affleck has masterfully created a film in which everything evokes the blue-collar atmosphere that is Dorchester, Mass.

As the plot turns unfold, it’s clear Ben Affleck doesn’t want the viewer to focus their attention on who actually committed the crime but rather at the motives behind it.

Every character in the film is flawed; It’s the most interesting aspect of the story. The viewer must justify the actions of the characters.

This movie doesn’t end on a good or bad note. It requires a lot of thinking and breaking down, but for all the right reasons.