Gone Baby Gone

I have been wavering past and forth this DVD in HMV for a good couple of months now, not really knowing wether to buy it or not. There has always been better DVD's to make up the 4 for 20 deal. But last week I finally pushed myself to buy it. Staring Casey Afflect in the main role, well from what I could tell was the main role, I'll get into that later though. It also co-stars Morgan Freeman, the man who is in every film ever made. Also Michelle Monaghan and Ed Harris.

Theres nothing really to shout about here star wise, yes Casey Afflects dry acting and a mumbling speaking tone suited him very well in 'The assassination of Jessie James' as a shy boy trying to be noticed. But in this film as a private detective who seemingly narratively wise was supposed to be a go-getter and someone who doesn't take any 'jip' of anyone. His acting style just counter acted it the whole way through, it just seemed really out of place. Apart from struggling to hear what the guy was saying half the time, I'm sorry but speak up! I'm not a fan of subtitles. His inability to make eye contact just made him appear shy and a loner.

The film started of relatively good, seemed like it was going to be a unique heart touching story from the outset. It all felt really warm and well just by the way it opened up felt like it was a tragedy story. Which of-course it was, but didn't do very well at.

A drug addicts mothers child is kidnapped and not to hopeful the police are doing there best, her brother or uncle? it never made all that clear, hires in a private detective duo - Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan as his girlfriend/assistant.
They imminently start their investigation talking to local neighbours and friends and such, which otherwise ends them up teaming up with police officer Ed Harris. Which turns into the most typical good cop bad cop routine I've ever seen in any film.

The characters from here just all feel loosely written and plotted out, there doesn't seem to have been any rhythm to the story.
I'm not sure the director had actually read the book it was based on, there was no emotion anywhere to be seen here. Apart from the odd sobbing from Michelle Monaghan, it just felt fake to the core. The sub-plots seemed to take hold more than any real strong central plot-line. I forgot at one point they were looking for a little girl, as they were too busy arguing with one another ALL the time. As well as this no-one really seemed to take the lead in anyway, everyone seemed to have an equal role in the film. Which let it down as every movie needs there lead actor to drive forward the film, someone to connect with, I just didn't think it spent enough time with anyone character to connect with them, thus lost interest in the film, no-depth!

I feel there is a really interesting story here somewhere, the book wouldn't have been a best seller if there wasn't. But the movie adaptation just failed to get to core of it at any point, characters fighting for screen time and no ryphm just let it down sorely.
I was just all over the place, I kept aspecting it to get better but it never did.
It just didn't go anywhere with me at all, and it let it self down, what could have been a great movie has let itself down.