What comes to mind when you hear the name of Ben Affleck ? I ’ll secern you what comes to my head : a series of really bad career choices . For everyDogmaon his résumé , he has aGigli . For everyGood Will Hunting , he has aSurviving Christmas . Indeed , for a while it seemed like he was destined to sit on the sidelines and do the Hollyweird equivalent of eating table scraps while his friend and fellow doer Matt Damon ended up with all the accolades and success . But then something surprising happen . He gave an impressive performance in a really good picture , Hollywoodland . Okay , I ’ll admit , he did n’t prompt me of George Reeves at all , but that did n’t really count to me . His public presentation was honest , charismatic and heartfelt . It was the best performing carrying out I had seen from him . For the first time in quite a while , it matte to me like Ben Affleck was n’t in Hollyweird by accident .

So what was my first chemical reaction when I heard that Ben Affleck had co - written a motion picture star his younger comrade , and that he was break down to make his feature of speech film directorial debut with it ? I ’m not ashamed to admit that I snickered . However , after seeing the movie , I ’m here to narrate you that I was awry . I really underestimated Affleck ’s ability as a filmmaker . Not only isGone Baby Goneone of the best movies I have seen this year , but I would n’t be surprised if Ben Affleck receives a Best Director nomination .

Based on the book of the same name by Dennis Lehane ( who also wroteMystic River ) , the movie centers around a four - year - honest-to-goodness girl named Amanda McCready , who was nobble and has been escape for three days . Amanda is from a poor vicinity , so her instance does n’t find the same care it would if she were from a more affluent sphere . To get around that niggling trouble , Amanda ’s aunty Beatrice ( played by Amy Madigan ) informs every media electric outlet she can mean of , and presently the whole situation has turned into a metier circus . much every cop in the area is allot to the display case , but Beatrice still is n’t quenched . She die to Patrick Kenzie ( played by Casey Affleck ) , a secret researcher who specializes in finding pretermit people . Beatrice and her husband Lionel ( played by Titus Welliver ) want to hire Patrick and his girl Angie ( played by Michelle Monaghan ) to assist find their girl . They see Patrick and Angie as street - smart people who can get entropy about Amanda ’s disappearance that the cops ca n’t .

Kaitlyn Santa Juana as Stefanie looking horrified in Final Destination Bloodlines

At this point , things lead off to become really complicated . Amanda ’s female parent , Helene ( played by Amy Ryan ) , is a real piece of employment . Not only is she hard tortuous in drugs , but she has also been a fearsome female parent to Amanda . To make matters sorry , she ’s not really cooperating with the cops , giving them more attitude than helpful data . She seems more sensory to Patrick and Angie , much to the dismay of police foreman Jack Doyle ( play by Morgan Freeman ) , who reluctantly allows them to work with the two lede investigator on the case , Remy Bressant ( spiel by Ed Harris ) and Nick Poole ( played by John Ashton ) . The cops already have several likely suspects identified , but Patrick finds out that Helene has been less than true in her version of event . The cops set out to wonder if Amanda was nobble as an act of revenge from one of Helene ’s drug joining . Will Patrick and the law be able-bodied to work together to work the pillow slip ? Will Amanda be found alive , even though the odds are heavily against it ? Will all variety of twists and turns happen along the way ?

What I care most about the movie , first and first , is Ben Affleck ’s direction . He is smart enough to see that the account is about Boston — the city , the neighborhoods and the citizenry — as much as it ’s about the missing girl , Amanda . Indeed , the residential area seems to to a great extent mix itself into the story , affecting how the character think , what they do and what they do n’t do . The hurl is full of top - mountain pass talent ; Casey Affleck does an admirable job of playing what is undoubtedly a very intriguing function . And what can I say about Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris ' roleplay abilities that has n’t already been say ? What I also like about the flick are the noetic aspects of the story . In most movies , the right choices are obvious , but not in this movie . Nothing is thin out - and - teetotal here ; " right " and " wrong " are very subjective terms in the context of this story . Is doing what ’s " right " really the salutary option in a picky situation ? I ’m a self-aggrandizing sports fan of picture show that force you to stop and think .

What did n’t I care so much ? Well , I have a few nitpicks that prevent me from giving this flick a complete five - star rating . First , the type of Patrick has several trial - IN with people that lead in violence while he ’s out pile up information about Amanda . I say there ’s some of that involved with being street - chic , but it seems to me that if I want to be a " military personnel on the street , " I would have an light time getting information if I settle my disputes as peacefully as I could , rather than waving a triggerman around and spewing profanity . Second , I felt like some of the tale arcs expire manner over the top , beyond the point of seeming credible . However , neither of those nitpicks was enough to seriously detract from my power to enjoy and revalue the movie .

Ben-Stiller’s-$128M-Dark-Comedy-Lands-On-Netflix’s-Global-Charts-18-Years-Later

Overall , I really enjoyed this moving-picture show , and I highly recommend it . It ’s not lighthearted transportation , by any means , but it did n’t drag in me down emotionally the wayMystic Riverdid . Even though the subject matter is dark and heavy , Ben Affleck does a safe job of keeping the sordid inside information to a minimum and keep the focal point on the story and the character . As I said earlier , I would n’t be surprised if he obtain a Best Director nominating address . If he keeps this up , he might actually have a future in that little town anticipate Hollyweird .

Gone Baby Gone is a crime drama centering on a detective inquire the disappearance a little girl . But soon after he begins turn over for the truth , he is victim to a personal and professional crisis .

Ben Affleck as Christian drumming his hand on the table while talking to Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Marybeth in The Accountant 2

Casey Affleck standing in front of the city of Boston in Gone Baby Gone

Casey Affleck in Gone Baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone is a crime drama centering on a detective investigating the disappearance a little girl. But soon after he begins digging for the truth, he is victim to a personal and professional crisis.

Gone Baby Gone - Poster - Casey Affleck

Gone Baby Gone is a crime drama centering on a detective investigating the disappearance a little girl. But soon after he begins digging for the truth, he is victim to a personal and professional crisis.