Gone Baby Gone

Dennis Lehane fait partie de ces écrivains populaires et reconnus dont les œuvres littéraires, fertiles en intrigues passionnantes et rebondissements palpitants, constituent une matière de choix pour les adaptations cinématographiques. Gone Baby Gone ne fait que le confirmer avec son récit policier hors-norme se déroulant dans un quartier troublé de Boston. La collaboration entre les frères Affleck porte ses fruits et Casey Affleck capte l’attention malgré une distribution solide ; à travers ce rôle-ci, il pose déjà des jalons pour sa future récompense aux Oscars. En revanche, j’ai trouvé Michelle Monaghan terne et en retrait par rapport à tous les autres protagonistes. À part pour le comportement de Patrick à la fin, tout m’a plu dans ce film et j’en ressors donc satisfait. (03/04/2021)

Ce garçon aurait dû se mettre à la réalisation plus tôt, car il a un talent indéniable. Ce drame magistral qui gagne en puissance à chaque minute vous laisse sans voix. Il dégage de la rudesse, du réalisme et un sens de l'écriture de scénarios géniaux. Les frères Affleck sont également surprenants. (23/07/2011)

Ben Affleck strikes back at all the scoffers over his acting talent and shows that he can do much more behind the camera than in front of it. Any absence of ill-considered steps, and on the contrary, absolutely perfect scene timing, great camera work, or excellent editing, show that there he has top talent. Especially if he chooses an excellent script next time, which will blow you away with its intensity of dialogue, a dose of life experience, and especially the final double-twist. After American Gangster, this is the second film whose absence from the Oscars is incomprehensible. (28/12/2007)

A powerful drama, very well written, but above all brilliantly directed. I’m inclined to agree with the opinion about the intellectual overtones mentioned several times here, the dilemma that is transferred from the main character to the viewer at the end is impressive and the last shot, my God, is perfection itself. And most importantly, the whole narrative has oomph and it doesn't matter if it's the chillingly harsh scene with a paedophile in the second half of the film or a simple dialogue between the two protagonists. A true joy to watch. And Casey Affleck? He articulates weird, he looks weird, he acts weird, but all of that together create a very interesting person that I couldn't take my eyes off. Ben, in the future, act as you did in Hollywoodland, while continuing to develop your undoubted directorial talent, and I have no choice but to repeat myself: "It was a great pleasure." (28/01/2008)

Without a final twist and uncompromisingly leaving the question “What is right?”, it would only have been a thriller with brilliant direction and performances, but with that Gone Baby Gone becomes an exceptionally intense experience and a superb drama. But is the answer to that question really that hard? Not for me. (28/07/2008)