Anyone that knows me will surely tell you I have at least 40 movies in my "all time top 5". It probably started about 20 years ago when I decided that "Angel Heart" was the greatest movie ever made and forced numerous pals and girlfriends to watch it with me, none of whom were as impressed as I was by the film. Over the years my Top 5 has grown to legendary status, and includes such classics as "Some Like It Hot" and "The Goodbye Girl" to modern pictures like "Gladiator" and "LA Confidential". The one thing that has remained a constant is "The Shawshank Redemption" sitting comfortably atop the list as my personal favorite film of all time, however, for the first time in a long while there is a dark horse that has leaped over some of the others and started to nip at the heels of the mighty Shawshank...
If someone asked me a couple years ago if I would ever spend $10 on a movie directed by Ben Affleck I would have first punched them in the eye and then laughed out loud for a solid minute. After I had gathered myself and then kicked them in the sack, I would answer sternly, "No f**king way asswipe," and be done with it. Why would a film lover, someone who usually agrees with many professional critics and takes the time to search for what lies beneath the obvious exterior of the average movie and dissect it, ever assume that Ben Affleck would be allowed to direct a movie never mind actually attempt to? They might as well have asked me if I thought Reese's Peanut Butter cups would suddenly start sucking...ridiculous!
Well, here it is years later and alas, Ben Affleck has indeed directed a movie. A BRILLIANT, engrossing, visually engaging, exceptionally acted, captivating morality tale that captures a slice of the South Boston experience like no other film has, including Mystic River. Now, don't get me wrong, Mystic River was a great film (in my Top 5!) and superbly directed by the all time great Clint Eastwood, but it is somehow not quite as captivating as "Gone Baby Gone". Sure, they were both stories penned by the excellent local writer Dennis LeHane about the perceptions of different people in this same environment and the catastrophic results they can cause, but Gone Baby Gone, for me at least, just captures the spirit of the inhabitants of this neighborhood more beautifully. The story unfolds in a real and tangible manner, spearheaded by the minimalist yet stunningly well acted performance of Casey Affleck, Ben's little brother. Trust me on this, Ben should stay behind the camera and let Casey handle the acting chops for as long as they both shall live. If this film is not proof enough of that, also check out Casey in the exceptional "The Assassination of Jesse James..."
Gone Baby Gone has style and intrigue and mystery, interwoven with tension and darkness that is palpable, all the while keeping you entertained with it's story and shocking language that would be comical if it weren't so representative of the actual people that inhabit this area of Massachusetts. This movie asks you to make choices, though the characters have made theirs, for right or wrong. This movie leads many of us to places we probably don't feel comfortable going but should think about visiting from time to time. It's truly a masterpiece and deserved a worthy marketing campaign and promotion to support it's wonderful gift to the audience, but sadly it was never marketed thoroughly enough when it was released last year.
Gone Baby Gone is likely going to start tearing off little pieces of Shawshank in my Top 5, and that's OK. Shawshank was a brilliant movie that was nearly flawless and will never leave that list. However, as long as guys who can't act their way out of a speeding ticket who also dated Latino dancer/singer/actresses with huge asses continue to make magic like this on film, there will always be movies breathing down its neck. My Top 5 may continue to grow, and that's OK because I really just enjoy great movies and it's hard not to give them the recognition they deserve. Interestingly though, no one really knows or cares about my Top 5 or ever consulted me for any reviews or opinions, so, whether it's a Top 5 or a Top 1000 is almost irrelevant. I guess I just like the small compact number and by telling someone who asks how a movie was, replying "It's in my Top 5 movies ever!" , seems like a good response that creates some urgency.
Gone Baby Gone deserved an Oscar, that's just the crazy truth about Ben's little film. His brother could have won best Actor and there would have been no injustice in that. Sounds crazy, I know, but the movie is just that good and is firmly placed in my Top 5. I did hear that Scott Baio is directing a remake of "The Dirty Dozen" with Mr. T and Gilbert Gottfreid starring so a little more room might need to be reserved in the near future. Until then, the Top 5 is "closed".
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