my brother had been egging me to watch this movie, since i think last year. i resisted. actors turned directors? ok i give credit to clint eastwood but can't say much for the rest, though i like nick cassavates' works. this is ben affleck's directorial debut, directing this brother casey affleck as the (anti)hero patrick kenzie. the movie is based on a dennis lehane's novel, the same guy who wrote shutter island (2010) and numerous other succesful book-to-movie adaptations.
boy, for someone who doesn't expect much, i am impressed with ben affleck the director. he has a great material in hand, makes full use of it, and has the eye for directing. and the casting is top notch - morgan freeman, michelle monaghan, ed harris and titus welliver in the supporting roles.
lately i have been watching movies about people who has an unweilding sense of right and wrong. my brother calls such characters as "humphrey-bogart-in-the maltese falcon (1941)" . it is not necessarily about being just, but about being right. in this movie, patrick kenzie is a small time private detective who becomes involved in a missing child's case that turned out to be more complicated than just a junkie mother, a dead drug lord, a concerned relative and seemingly dirty cops. while his sense of purpose is unchanged and that he must save the girl at all costs, the choices he makes by the end of the movie makes me question - what is the point of all that purpose and integrity and intelligence if it is only to prove one point - that he is right?
to me, it is useless. being right doesn't change anything especially when it comes to the well being of a child, who depends on others to take care of them. adults should suffer for their wrong doings should they come due, but not kids.
like all good things, great movies trigger the audience to think.
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