Gone Baby Gone

[TonyD]

Anyone seen this ? Saw it last night and thought it was excellent. An intelligent, interesting thriller, with a satisfying, non-cop out, thoughful conclusion.

[gustavo]

I thought it was a very good film , certainly thought provoking , You could make an argument for both sides as to whether he did the right thing in the end ,. I would tend to think that he did , i suppose the fact that she was her mother should be the deciding factor

[micls]

Thought it was good, if predictable in parts.

I agree with gustavo about the end.

[anto1208]

Loved the ending really messes with your morals, thought it was a great film fair play to old Ben Affleck he did a good job on it. His brother was good in it too.

Mystic river as well is from the same author another good film that twists and turns.

[McShels]

Totally enjoyed this film and is the best film I have seen in quite a while. Great performances from Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan. The last scene is just superb as it stays with you long after the film is over

[jebus]

Anyone seen this ? Saw it last night and thought it was excellent. An intelligent, interesting thriller, with a satisfying, non-cop out, thoughful conclusion.

Yeah I really liked it. The ending wouldn't have worked if the acting hadn't been so good, Ed Harris and Casey Affleck in particular, and Ben Affleck did a great job directing in fairness to him. Michelle Monaghan is always a plus too :)

Regarding Gustavo's point myself and the girlfriend had differing opinions of what he should have done. I agreed with what he did, the part where he says that he wouldn't be able to look the little girl in the face if she came back in later life and asked him why he had left her with these people that he kidnapped her got my vote. My girlfriend felt she should have been left with Morgan Freeman's character, as it was obviously the best thing for the girl

Fantastic closing shot alright

[Wangball]

As Anto says Gone Baby Gone is by the same author as Mystic River, Denis Lehane...he's written maybe 4 or 5 very good Kenzie/Gennaro novels and they are all really great, only disappointment with the film is the Bubba character...he's completely different in the books and considerably more interesting....they are all definitely worth a read as is his other book Shutter Island ( soon to be made into a film with Di Caprio starring)

[anto1208]

I have found blokes tend to agree with the way it ended up that he had to take her back, but any women ive talked to think he should have left her with morgan freeman. I think it boils down to no matter how good a life you think you can give a kid its not ok to steal children !!

[micls]

I have found blokes tend to agree with the way it ended up that he had to take her back, but any women ive talked to think he should have left her with morgan freeman. I think it boils down to no matter how good a life you think you can give a kid its not ok to steal children !!

Well Im female and thought he did the right thing definitely. Who's to say her life would have been better with Morgan Freeman? No one can tell the future. How would the trauma of losing her mother after 4 years affect her in the future, you cant underestimiate the bond. If he had left her there anything that happened to her was on his said. What if she hated living with them in the future? Or got hit by a bus tomorrow just cos she was there. You cant mess with people's lives like that. She should be with her mother. At least at the end he could have some effect on her life, helping with babysitting and influence her etc. Thats something he could control, what would have happened with the other family he couldnt.

[anto1208]

Well Im female and thought he did the right thing definitely. Who's to say her life would have been better with Morgan Freeman? No one can tell the future. How would the trauma of losing her mother after 4 years affect her in the future, you cant underestimiate the bond. If he had left her there anything that happened to her was on his said. What if she hated living with them in the future? Or got hit by a bus tomorrow just cos she was there. You cant mess with people's lives like that. She should be with her mother. At least at the end he could have some effect on her life, helping with babysitting and influence her etc. Thats something he could control, what would have happened with the other family he couldnt.

i know what you are saying that you cant tell the future but she left her kid at home alone to go smoke crack in the toilet of a dirty bar for 2 hours on the night she was taken, if anything im overestimating the bond between them the mother & child she couldnt care less about the kid having 2 people to care for you is better than having no one in my book. the right thing would be to take the kid back but then call social services to take the kid into care.

[Billsthoughts]

I thought it was more about the gap between rich and poor in the states than it was about who should keep the child. The implication that wealthy people know best. The scene in the car were Afflecks character empathises with the mother but his partner is totally disgusted by her. The scene in the hospital car park were Ed Harris' character moralising over the junkies and the peodos but at the same time admitting to murder and corruption. At the same time it doesnt romanticse the poor showing the mother in all her junkie skuzziness.
Anyways. Great film and would well recommend it.

[GavinZac]

I thought it was more about the gap between rich and poor in the states than it was about who should keep the child. The implication that wealthy people know best. The scene in the car were Afflecks character empathises with the mother but his partner is totally disgusted by her. The scene in the hospital car park were Ed Harris' character moralising over the junkies and the peodos but at the same time admitting to murder and corruption. At the same time it doesnt romanticse the poor showing the mother in all her junkie skuzziness.
Anyways. Great film and would well recommend it.

I don't think you can just equate poverty with drug and alcohol abuse...

[Billsthoughts]

I don't think you can just equate poverty with drug and alcohol abuse...

I didnt.

[NeilMcD]

Would it have been possible to giver her back to the mother but then have her taken by social services and fostered to a foster family like in Pippa or something and when the mother is in a better state of mind and she is in a fit state to look after her child.

[the 12 th man]

Just saw it on DVD and I think it's a must see.Casey Affleck brilliant in it (I didn't know he could act:)).

Great cast and some good twists & turns to keep you interested.

The mothers attitude was terrible in it,right the way through.

[jebus]

Casey Affleck is also excellent in the Assassination of Jesse James and The Thin Red Line

[Jofspring]

One of the best thrillers ive seen in ages, most recent ones seem to be very predictable but just as you think you've guessed the way Gone Baby Gone is going it flips right back around on you.

[Newryrep]

Will also add to the plaudits, thoroughly recommended

[thischarmingman]

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Heart-breaking ending though. Initially wanted the decision at the end to go the way it did. As soon as it did though I changed my mind.