DVD Talk: Gone Baby Gone

CNS photo from Miramax.

I didn't catch "Gone Baby Gone" in the theaters... it was one of those movies that intrigued me -- in part because it was Ben Affleck's directorial debut and because the cast was quite impressive with Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris and Casey Affleck -- but not enough to get me into the theater. I just wasn't up for a crime drama about child abduction. Now that it is on DVD, I added it to my Netflix queue and I'm glad I did. It is an exceptional film.

With the film's rough language and main subject of child abduction will not make it for everyone, those who can tolerate these elements will be rewarded with a fascinating study of what makes for right and wrong, and the consequences that decisions have.

Without giving away any real spoilers, the movie opens with a little girl already abducted and the tough Boston neighborhood up in arms. The film's star, Casey Affleck, plays private investigator Patrick Kenzie, who has eked out a living primarily finding stolen items. His life changes, however, when relatives of the abducted child see his ad in the paper and ask for the help of he and his partner to find the child. He is reluctant at first but needs the job and accepts. The rest of the movie takes several intelligent twists and turns as Affleck's character learns that the child's abduction is just part of a larger web into which he is getting entangled.

Because this is Boston, Patrick is Catholic and there is a presence of Catholicism sporadically throughout the movie (pleasantly surprising, no priest abuse wisecracks are made). While increasing awareness of the tragedy of child abudction is a central part of this movie, Ben Affleck interestingly hones in on the moral dilemmas Patrick faces as he stumbles deeper and deeper into the truth of what is going on. At several points, his Catholic upbringing -- it could be labeled "Catholic guilt" -- kicks in and he struggles with decisions that seem right but do not sit well in him. His faith tells him that sometimes a truly right decision will bring pain, even when another character mocks it. I kept waiting for the hammer to fall and for the Church to ultimately be dismissed. But while it took some shots from some key characters, Catholicism was portrayed for the most part with respect (Patrick does cohabitate with his female investigative partner, so it's not perfect).

With each step Patrick takes, adversaries try to dull his conscience, leading to a climactic moral dilemma that has sparked a lot of debate on film blogs (is the decision made the right one or a selfish one?). The film made me think of the notion of "Catholic guilt" and the savage portrayal Catholics often get in entertainment avenues because of it. Catholicism is usually equated with repression, if you believe most of the movies, songs and books where the artists "deal" with their Catholic upbringing. But I firmly believe that Catholic guilt is a good thing. It is good to have our consciences pricked in a way that makes us second guess whether something that society says is right may not be quite right... where the ends may not always justify the means. Growing up, I can honestly say that Catholic guilt may have made me seem like a wimp and nerd to friends at times for decisions I made not to do certain things, but looking back Catholic guilt saved me a lot of heartache. And if I did do something wrong, Catholic guilt ultimately led me back to the sacrament of confession -- a true gift of the church and whose renewal I believe will lead to a renewal of Catholicism in general around the world. In the end, "Catholic guilt" is really God's love trying to reach us... saying "you don't have to do this"... trying to remind us of the larger picture of life and the consequences we may have to deal with. There are times when you have a hard time explaining why something is wrong, but in your heart you know it and, though it may be unpopular in the crowd, you try to find the strength and moral conviction to stick with your decision. As the flawed hero of this film, Casey Affleck does an excellent job portraying this kind of person.

There is a lot of rough language and some instances involving drug dealing in the film and, as I said earlier, this film may be hard to watch for some. But for those who do watch it, it is moving and -- despite the heartbreaking subject matter -- rewarding. It shows the world is not a perfect place, but there is still a moral order to the universe.

If anyone has seen this film and wishes to discuss it in the comment box, I'm game. A similar film that reminds us that our decisions can have huge, unforeseen consquences if we choose wrong is "Atonement."