Gone Baby Gone

By Dr. Lin Zucconi

Gone Baby Gone is very very good. You have to stay awake and alert to figure out all the twists and turns. Ben Affleck directs and his little brother  Casey stars. A young couple who are detectives are hired by an abducted little girl's aunt to find the child.  The police are also working hard but don't have connections into the working class druggy   Catholic Boston neighborhood where the child's family lives.

The mother is drug addicted white trash, her boyfriend is a dealer, the uncle is a former convict and former alcoholic, and the aunt is naive and trying to hold this dysfunctional family together. Meanwhile the police are trying hard but are somewhat corrupt and definitely ethically challenged.

This is a gritty down and into the dirty neighborhood film. Lots of foul language and some but not excessive corresponding violence. The significant thing about this film is that it does not put any of the usual Hollywood sugaring into the plot. The audience must deal with some key moral questions such as how should it treat a white trash negligent drug addicted  mother, or cops  and detectives who break the law when they believe the criminals aren't worthy.

Very good, but stay awake and alert to be sure you get all the details.
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