Rent Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Disappointing - Gone Baby Gone review by CP Customer

I thought that I would have enjoyed this film more. It had a slow start and then picked up with Casey putting in a great performance. It then dipped and I thought the film was ending only for it to spark up again with a twist that was not that exciting (a bit predictable). A good cast but they didn't exactly push themselves. Maybe I should buy and read the book instead??!

Mumbling and incoherent dialogue - Gone Baby Gone review by GH

This film was spoilt for me by the mumbled dialogue, which made it almost impossible to follow. The lead male was particularly bad, but it has put me off renting any more American films. Sub titles could have helped.

First Class Contemporary Crime Thriller - Gone Baby Gone review by GI

Here is a contemporary crime thriller that has the rare qualities of integrity and intelligence and it's a stunning directorial debut from Ben Affleck. This is the sort of crime film that makes Michael Mann's films so brilliant and Affleck has here carved a twist and turn plot, based in a very realistic arena and given the audience a moral dilemma to debate. It's a first class work and worthy of repeated viewings. On the surface it's a genre piece, a detective mystery story with the most hateful of crimes at its heart, child abduction and murder. The emotion caused by the crime drives the characters towards the denouement and causes them such angst with the viewer being dragged along for the ride. Set in a crime ridden Boston suburb and a four year old girl goes missing. Her mother, Helene (Amy Ryan - a superb performance), regularly leaves the child unsupervised much to her sister in law, Bea's (Amy Madigan) anger. When the police make no headway in the investigation Bea hires local private detectives Patrick (Casey Affleck) and Angie (Michelle Monaghan) to assist. The police in the form of Captain Doyle (Morgan Freeman) and Detective Bessant (Ed Harris) resent this but Patrick and Angie have the advantage of being able to get information from the locals who hate the police. They soon discover there's a lot of people lying about what they know. If you've never seen this great gem of a film then you will be constantly on the edge of your seat as the plot goes in some very unexpected directions. There's some shocks on the way too although the film is restrained and depicts the violence carefully but with a realism that makes it all the more cold and frightening. This is one of the best crime thrillers of this century, it's a really well crafted and engrossing film and one to definitely put on your list if you've never seen it.

McCann - Gone Baby Gone review by JD

Ben Affleck postponed the release of this film in light of the abduction of Madeline McCann in 2007. A sensitive and sensible decision. All the papers pointed out how closely the child actress resembled Madeline. The huge difference is that Madeline is still sadly missing. Sorry for the plot spoiler but the poster for the film shows the final scene with her on it on the couch so also a poster spoiler. Personally I think Casey is a considerably better actor than his brother and it must be gaulling to be directed by him. There will many who disagree.

Child abduction is not easy watching and some of it will sicken all but the most superficial viewer. Pretty much everything that Casey does however is sad beyond endurance. He is without doubt the best actor ever for profound emotion. The direction however is poor and does not do anything for the plot.