Gone Baby Gone

First Hit: This film is very well done. From story to the direction to the acting it was elegantly executed.

Ben Affleck has found a place to stride his talent.

His directing in this film is tense and taut which kept me fully engaged throughout. There are more than 2 possible endings in this film and none of them were telegraphed but slightly hinted at as the film progressed.

The film holds together very well and really holds true to the Boston roots from which it came. The neighborhood where this film begins is aptly represented and treated with honest reverence by showing the the people who are born and die there and the accents true to the area.

Casey Affleck has his first major starring role and he doesn’t disappoint. He is fully believable as the private detective who is hired to find the little girl by using his lifelong connections with the neighborhood to make this happen.

Overall, the other actors including Amy Ryan as the mother, Ed Harris as a lead detective and Morgan Freeman as the police chief are very strong and help to develop this story to its final conclusion.

The story is about a little girl that is kidnapped and the lies that surround it. Most of the characters use their mistruths to point the unfolding drama in a particular light and direction.

Casey’s job is to discover the truth and take action that is in accordance with his truth of how things need to be resolved. That his girlfriend is in concert and in conflict with him accurately develops their relationship and path together.

Overall: This is a very well done film and one of the best overall executed films of the year.

Rendition

First Hit: This adequately acted film gives us a glimpse and information about an abhorrent program our current government supports.

Reese Witherspoon is a good dramatic actor however I didn’t find her fully believable in this role. I don’t think she projected an honest anguish at her husband being taken or an honestly in the way she related to her son.

However, her turns at confronting her friend the senator’s aid, the senator, and the CIA head (Meryl Streep) were more up her alley and felt more fully fleshed out. Omar Metwally did a very credible job as the victim of torture and made his circumstance believable.

The subject of this film is timely in that we have come to know that the US Government supports this sort of out of country experience for people that are suspected terrorists. If our current CIA Director is anything like Meryl Streep’s character, we are definitely in trouble as a society.

Overall: I would wait for this to come out on DVD.

We Own The Night

First Hit: Pretty good film, yet predictable and outside of Joaquin Phoenix’s acting the rest was good and definitely not great.

This is one of the better adult roles for Joaquin Phoenix.

There is more range and I infinitely liked him better in this film than the Johnny Cash film. I was disappointed in Mark Wahlberg’s role because he can bring so much depth to everything he does and it felt like something was left on the table.

Robert Duvall's role also left me wondering what happened to the depth he can bring to a character. Wahlberg and Phoenix had wanted to do this film for years and I don’t know why the story didn’t quite shine through after finally being made.

All the components of the film were strong yet very predictable.

On a positive note outside of Joaquin’s performance, many of the smaller bit roles, Joaquin’s right hand man, his father’s aids, and Eva Mendes added color and substance to this film.

Overall: The film kept me engaged and the ending was predictable early on.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

First Hit: Although I can always watch Cate Blanchett, This film didn’t hold up well the longer it went because the story has been told before.

Cate Blanchett is a marvelous actor. No matter the direction, script, or story, Cate puts in a fine performance.

In this, her second, version of Elizabeth she does the role justice once again. There is more about Elizabeth’s weakness, especially from the aspect of physical intimacy, and the cover or shelter of the monarchy which was interesting.

However, the story felt old and therefore the film needed something more although I have no idea what that would be except maybe leave this story alone for another 20 years.

I didn’t think the rest of the acting was up to par with Cate’s although that could have been the script more than the actors themselves.

Clive Owen, Samantha Morton and Geoffrey Rush are all excellent actors but their roles fall flat. The most interesting exchange was when Elizabeth and Walter Raleigh (Owen) discuss what it was like to sail across the sea and discover the new world. This scene was charged and had some real electricity.

Overall: I was disappointed in this film and it faded from memory shortly after its viewing.

Michael Clayton

First Hit: This is a Hollywood film that takes its time to unfold and provide a very substantive finish to which the audience spontaneously applauded.

All the acting in this film is first rate. Tom Wilkinson, Sydney Pollack, Tilda Swinton, and George Clooney all give fine performances.

The story focuses on Michael Clayton played by George who is the “janitor”, miracle man, or fixer for a heavy hitting law firm. The set up is well done as the film begins with a brief view of the future, then dials back 4 days to bring the audience up to speed, then moves the story forward to a wonderful conclusion.

The film takes it time to give the characters some depth. I really liked the flashes of Tilda preparing for her speeches and presentations.

Each character has its strengths and weaknesses and you see both sides to almost every person on the screen. This made the film feel full and real.

The direction of Tony Gilroy was excellent and the subtleness of some of the scenes was extraordinary. My favorite was in the initial set up we see Michael stop his car and walk up a hill and come face to face with grazing horses. Then nearing the end of the film he opens a copy of his son’s favorite book and there is a sketch of a hill with trees and horses.

Then the early scene replays and you now know why he stopped the car to walk up the hill to come face to face with the horses. This scene ties multiple aspects of this story together but doesn't hit you with a sledgehammer to do so.

Overall: When the audience is so involved in the film that the conclusion brings spontaneous applause you know this is a well crafted story and film.