NOT A  DATE MOVIE... or maybe it's perfect?:  Gone Baby Gone

by Christian De Matteo

Super

Maybe I'm blessed, but my last handful of trips to the movies have been great.  I haven't seen a crappy one yet... but then again I still haven't seen Rendition, which is either (Ebert) "a perfect movie" or (Rolling Stone) hysterically funny melodrama.  Regardless, with all the available choices, my lovely wife and I (yes, I don't think I have ever mentioned it here, but I got married on May 26 of this year... and thank you) decided to see what Ben Affleck might be like behind the camera.

He's terrific, is the answer.

Gone Baby Gone... well, honestly, here's the best review I can give you.  The movie is under two hours (a real miracle these days) and yet feels so full you think it's longer.  Not in that bad, bored way, but in that, wow, did they really just do all that in just over an hour and half? kind of way.  And when the credits began to roll, for the first time in quiet some time I've seen, most people did not get out of their seats and walk out discussing the things they had to do at home or what they were going to do that night.  No.  People actually stayed in their seats and argued.  No really.  They argued about the ending.

When's the last time you remember that happening?

I could tell you what it's about, how it goes, etc, etc, etc....  But I won't.  Ben Affleck has directed an excellent movie, with a cast that does an incredible job, including and especially his very versatile, actor to watch brother Casey and the always damn good Ed Harris who this time deserves a nomination for his performance.  Morgan Freeman does a fine job and Michelle Monaghan gives it her all.  The shots he picks are terrific, especially one of the last with what's behind Monaghan.  All the supporting characters and even people who just find their way in the shot are excellent.  The film feels real, feels affecting and feels like real life.

My wife and I argued the entire way home about whether the end result was the right one or not.  We never agreed.  We still don't.  That's awesome.

Ben, I'll be keeping an eye on you as a director.  I do hope you still keep acting though.  We, at HUGEReveiws.com, and you can check old reviews and comments, never lost faith in you.  If anything, right now, we feel 100% justified for all the standing up we've done.  Good work.