Gone Baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone is the second movie we have seen with a best supporting actress Oscar nomination. The first being Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton. And already I do not like the the choice of the academy.

Amy Ryan's role is something not to be easily forgotten, because she plays such an unlikeble character. Her daughter disappears and she doesn't seem to care at all. In fact her actions might have precipitated the disappearance. But I wonder if we would have that reaction if she was not poor?

In the final scenes after all that has gone on throughout the movie, she leaves her daughter to go on a date. And we feel, very viscerally, "What a terrible mother. What a terrible person!" But if she were in a big house, and were leaving her chid with a nanny...if she were dressed in Pravda, instead of white trash chic...if she were well made up, instead of Crack Ho by Revlon...would we be so against her? And would she be any better or worse?

I think we are confronted a bit by our own prejudices in this movie. Part of why we do not like her, I think, is her environment, not just what kind of person she is.

Ben Affleck, in his debut as a director does a very nice job, coming to the line but never crossing it, of sentimentality. He did not choose the easiest of answers. His brother Casey does a really nice job in the lead. And the supporting cast is great. And the location of the film is part of the supporting cast.

The movie makes you judge on your own decisions of the characters, and makes you ask if the right thing was done...and still not be quite satisfied with the answer, either way.