Gone Baby Gone

[thepaulo]

Gone Baby Gone is the best Boston crime drama ever. If you put it on a triple bill with Mystic River and The Departed (and I'm sure I don't have to remind anyone that these are big award winners), Gone Baby Gone would be the best of the three. What makes it even more amazing is that it is directed by an actor who has been justifiably maligned for his acting over the years.Well, everybody's acting is near perfect in this film so he must know something about it. To be fair, Ben Affleck's acting has varied from pretty good (Hollywoodland, Good Will Hunting, Chasing Amy) to pretty awful (Surviving Christmas, Pearl Harbour, Mallrats). He won an Oscar for writing Good Will Hunting with his long time buddy, Matt Damon, but many people secretly believe his involvement was minimal.
But there is almost no way to account for how brilliant-brilliant-brilliant his direction is in Gone Baby Gone. I can't emphasize it enough. It is nearly perfect with nary a false step. No doubt the story by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River) is the rock the film is built on and it is solid and expansive.
All the great detective/film Noir films are full of moral dilemmas. Hard choices are made when the answers are not that clear. Choices that need to be made no matter what the consequences.
Gone Baby Gone starts with the investigation of a missing child. The film's release has been delayed in parts of Europe because of the ongoing investigation into the real life Madelein McCann case. Just to clear that up, there is very little similarity to the two cases.The story of Gone Baby Gone seems so hard and simple, but every time you think they have wrapped it up, it shoots in a new direction.
The acting is superb on every level from stars like Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris and Ben's brother Casey to some of the most authentic low lifes I've ever seen (clearly straight from the streets of South Boston). Most of us know that Ben is a Red Socks fan but where he got a feel for the streets of Boston is beyond me. He has an eye for all the details of every location in the film. Every moment seems real baby real. Aflleck probably won't win an Oscar for this movie because he probably has a long way to go to get respect in Hollywood at this point. He has won my respect, though. There is no way something this assured and confident is a fluke. 92 out of 100

[ChrisTheCop]

Ben has real Afflection for Boston...but will Oscar spurn his advances? geh geh gehhhhh

[spoon]

I'm counting on you here Paul. I'll check it out.

[spoon]

That damn title reminds me of the violent fems though

[Leticia]

That damn title reminds me of the violent fems though

I know! I was just thinking that!

[EliSnow]

I just read a review on AICN that liked the movie a lot too. Said Ed Harris should get the Oscar for it.

[lleeder]

Gone Baby Gone is the best Boston crime drama ever. If you put it on a triple bill with Mystic River and The Departed , Gone Baby Gone would be the best of the three.
I remember the first time you said this on the show friday. Please Paul-o don't make this a recycling spot.

[TheMojoPin]

Gone Baby Gone is the best Boston crime drama ever

Yes, in a field of....very, very, VERY few.

[TheMojoPin]

Aflleck probably won't win an Oscar for this movie because he probably has a long way to go to get respect in Hollywood at this point.

And he shouldn't win it for this...he already got his undeserved Oscar for Good Will Hunting. GBG is a decent film, but come on, there have been quite a few movies out this year that are SO much better.

[Marc with a c]

stupid embedding

trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_F_SH07nsE

[lleeder]

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I agree completely

[torker]

Mystic River sucked. (so did Million Dollar Baby)

geh geh gehhhhh gone baby gone geh geh gehhhhh

[Kerouac931]

Paul-O, you got me excited about watching a movie again, bro. Can't wait til this one comes out.

[Team_Ramrod]

Paul-O, you got me excited about watching a movie again, bro. Can't wait til this one comes out.

No shit guy! I just checked out the trailer Marc with mario lopez posted and it looks fantastic!

Casey Affleck seems to do a first rate job in this one.

This might be the first movie in 5 years I've anticipated the release of!

Thanks Paul for the info, Thanks Marc for the link!

[thepaulo]

There is goning to be stiff competition this year...and GBG doesn't have strong chances for awards for various reasons...one it's too dark,,,,,but it still may stay at the top of my best of for the year...

[Furtherman]

It looks good from the tailer. And I saw The Wire's Omar in there!

[MadMatt]

Thanks a lot Paul-O!!!

I checked out the trailer and am really psyched to check this movie out. I think Casey Affleck is really underrated due to his brother's fame, and I hope he finally gets his "props" from this role.

Ed Harris is another favorite - great to see him getting a role that may garner significant recognition.

[thepaulo]

Not the feel good movie of the fall...dark and brutal....but I really fucking love it.
opens tommorow

[Fallon]

I already ordered my ticket. Going to the 11am showing before work tomorrow. Wooooooo!

[JPMNICK]

I already ordered my ticket. Going to the 11am showing before work tomorrow. Wooooooo!

what a homer!

[Fallon]

what a homer!

Gotta support the team.

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k163/icb007/puddy3.jpg

[thepaulo]

Is that some kind of Boston superfan?

[Fallon]

Is that some kind of Boston superfan?

It's from Seinfeld.

[thepaulo]

Just for the sake of clarity identify the jersey

[Fallon]

I saw it this morning and it was fantastic! Casey Affleck and Ed Harris were really tremendous.



Just for the sake of clarity identify the jersey

Devils.

[TeeBone]

I just saw Gone Baby Gone and Paulo was right----It is great. The title is sort of lamb and the way the title is explained through the dialog in the movie is even goofier, but apart from that - it is very well written, extremely well acted by Casey Afleck and Directed wonderfully by Ben Aleck. I figured the story out with about 45 minutes left in the movie so I did not gasp at the big reveal, but it didn't matter. This is a great movie !!!!! Do yourself a favor and go see this film.
I hate to use the word, 'Brilliant' when talking about films, directors and especially people paid to pretend to be someone or something else, but in recent years if ever there were a chance to use the word 'Brilliant' when describing dialog and the writing of a movie; this is it. The characters are real and for those of us fortunate or unfortunate enough to spend any time in Boston and specifically, 'The Dirty Dot,' you'll know how real the characters are. The writers did very little to spice this up because they did not have to. The dialog is 'close to Brilliant' and I'll leave it at that. I'll reserve the 'brilliant' title for a field more deserving than movie making.
Overall, this is the best movie of 2007 and should be considered to win every category it is up for.

Gone baby Gone-------4 Stars!!!!!!!!

[TheMojoPin]

Overall, this is the best movie of 2007

Balls to that.

It's very good, but man....

[thepaulo]

when I said on friday's show that Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman were the weakest link, I didn't mean to imply they were anything less than great....it's just that's strong and deep the casting and acting on this goes....by all means give Ed Harris an Oscar nod....

[EliSnow]

I have just one question. Does this mean that come February, Affleck will be Chasing Oscar? Ge ge ge.

[EliSnow]

Or will he be haunted by the "Phantoms" of the past? Ge Ge Ge.

[TeeBone]

Clever reply to yourself, Eli.

[TheGameHHH]

just got back from this movie and i thought it was outstanding. i'm not a huge movie buff, but this film was excellent on all levels.

[buzzard]

Thanks Paulo! :thumbup: