“Gone Baby Gone”, the directorial debut of Ben Affleck, deals with the moral choices we make. The plot of this well-made thriller involves the disappearance of four-year-old Amanda McCready. As the police struggle to find answers, Amanda’s aunt hires a private detective, Patrick Kenzie (played by Casey Affleck) and his partner/girlfriend. Their investigation leads them through Boston’s rough lower income neighborhoods and a variety of drug dealers, police (both honest and corrupt), gangs, and pedophiles. The mystery is very engaging and includes many surprising but still believable twists (which I won’t reveal here).What really makes this movie stand out is the way it deals with the moral dilemmas faced by Kenzie. Kenzie faces two major decisions that blur the lines of right or wrong and moral or immoral. The first decision he makes, while illegal, is one that people close to him fully support. It is one, in fact, which many people would support with the “ends justify the means” argument. However, the movie does not give full support to this argument. The decision weighs heavy on Kenzie who admits when asked if he would do it again that he would not.
Kenzie’s second decision at the end of the movie is more difficult. Those close to him reject his dicision. Many viewers, as well, will disagree that Kenzie makes the “right” choice. However, Kenzie stands up for what he believes to be right thing and does not make what could be considered the easier decision. This decision costs Kenzie greatly, and some closing scenes suggest that Kenzie knows that even though he made the “right” decision, it might not be the “best” decision for everyone involved.
Right and wrong in “Gone Baby Gone” are not as simple as black and white. The movie shows, however, that even though we live in a world where right and
wrong seem relative, we have to live with our choices and their consequences. When there are no simple answers, one must act with integrity, doing what is right, not what is easy or popular. In the opening lines of the movie Kenzie states, “When I was young, I asked my priest how you could get to heaven and still protect yourself from all the evil in the world. He told me what God said to His children. ‘You are sheep among wolves. Be wise as serpents, yet innocent as doves.’ ”
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ReplyDeletegreat post! i was apprehensive about watching this movie at first because i wasn't sure that Affleck's directoral skills would measure up to some the greats that i am so fond of in the industry. however, i was pleasantly surprised. the intensity of casey affleck's character and the believability that he gave the situations were a great addition to an intense and captivating storyline. amy ryan also blew me away with her exceptional portrayal of the girl's mother.
ReplyDeletei left the film with a feeling of uneasiness because i was one of those who disagreed with the main character's ultimate choice. however, i really enjoyed the fact that this decision was portrayed as subjective, and that just as in the real world, the characters did not necessarily see eye to eye on the "right" answer when it comes to others.
I still think you are cheapening how difficult it was to make the choices as they are not easy choices…
ReplyDeleteI am not convinced he made the right one you know? He lives with his choice but honestly I don’t- agree with it…even if you say no one has the right to make that choice...
I still do not agree.
I acknowlege that it is not necessarily easy for anyone to come up with if it was right or wrong what he did- but i still do not agree with it.
I didn't mean to cheapen the difficulty of that final decision. There really wasn't a perfectly "right" decision at that point...either choice he could make would have negative consequences. His decision was "right" to me because he acted with integrity. I feel like he doesn't regret that decision the way he regrets his earlier choice in the movie, even though he sees first hand the consequences of it.
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