Forget 'Seven', This 94%-Rated Ben Affleck Thriller Has an Even Wilder Plot Twist
For his directorial debut, Ben Stiller chose his favorite book, Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane – and he made the right choice. Here's why it will impress you even more than Seven.
Ben Affleck's directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, proved a simple truth: a talented person is talented everywhere. To others, however, it showed that Affleck works much better behind the camera than in front of it.
In any case, Gone Baby Gone is the kind of debut that actors who try their hand at directing can only dream of. Affleck created a dark drama that takes an unexpected turn midway through the plot.
What Is 'Gone Baby Gone' About?
Main characters: A girl named Amanda goes missing in Boston. After several days of unsuccessful searches, Amanda's aunt hires private detectives to assist the police. They are a couple named Patrick and Angie.
They were only used to looking for people who didn't pay their bills and left for another state, so the scale of this case initially frightens them.
The catch: However, their knowledge of the area and its residents helps the investigators quickly solve the case. But capturing the criminal is only the beginning of a complicated story.
'Gone Baby Gone' Is a Philosophical Thriller With No Definitive Answers
Gone Baby Gone is a rare thriller that combines a tense plot with philosophical depth. We have the original source to thank for this – Ben Affleck adapted his favorite book, Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane.
The best part: The characters in Gone Baby Gone are not divided into good or bad. Even the police captain is revealed to be an accomplice to the crime – albeit with noble intentions.
'Gone Baby Gone' Is Often Compared to Seven, but Its Plot Twist Is Even Better
Many compare Gone Baby Gone to David Fincher's cult classic, Seven – both explore sin, punishment, and human cruelty. However, Gone Baby Gone offers more than just a shocking plot twist.
The finale of Seven relies on an emotional impact – evil is punished, the main character is broken, and the viewer is stunned.
Gone Baby Gone offers not just an unexpected turn, but also an ethical dilemma. The movie does not provide easy answers, leaving viewers to ask themselves: what is more important – the law or humanity?
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Gone Baby Gone'?
Famous critic Roger Ebert gave Gone Baby Gone 3.5 out of 4 stars, saying:
“What distinguishes the screenplay [...], which departs from the novel in several ways, is (a) how well-concealed the secrets are, and (b) how much perfect sense they make when they're revealed.”
-
Gone Baby Gone has 94% from critics and 86% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
-
On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.6/10.
Where to Watch 'Gone Baby Gone'?
Gone Baby Gone is available to stream on Peacock and Tubi.
