Film Review: GONE BABY GONE (2007)

Excellent drama/mystery with a superb directing debut by Ben Affleck. A little girl goes missing in a suburb of Boston and the police are doing all they can to find her. The mother (Amy Ryan giving a stellar performance) is a coke addicted woman who works for the local drug dealer. Her sister hires two local private investigators (Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan) to help with the search. The two cross paths with the Boston police captain (Morgan Freeman) who in turns assigns two veteran detectives (Ed Harris, John Ashton) to work with them. So all the players are in place and the movie quickly takes many twists and turns before reaching the eventful climax. Ben Affleck does a super job in his first time out as director. He manages to use the city of Boston as a character itself and is able to get solid performances from his entire cast. His younger brother Casey shines in his first lead role playing tough and smart and somewhat world weary despite his young age. The veterans Freeman and Harris are of course good. But the standout belongs to Miss Amy Ryan. She takes an unlikable character and makes you understand her and even forgive her for all the bad things she has done. She's got my vote as Best Supporting Actress of the year easily. Gone Baby Gone is one of the best films of 2007.

B+

Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan

Morgan Freeman with Affleck and Monaghan

Casey as private eye Patrick Kenzie

Amy Ryan in a powerhouse of a performance

Ethan Hunt comes out of retirement for MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 3 (2006)

In preparation for the upcoming Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol hitting theaters in 5 days, I am re-watching the first three Impossible films. This is one of my favorite movie series and Tom Cruise is awesome as superspy Ethan Hunt.

Cruise returns for a third time as agent Ethan Hunt

In the third adventure, Ethan has actually retired from the spy game, occasionally teaching trainees how to be the best agent they can be. He has settled down and married a nurse named Julia (a fetching performance by Michelle Monaghan). Life is good until a former student of his, Lindsey (played by Keri Russell, who gets to flex some action skills for a change) is captured by some bad guys and must be rescued.

A rescue mission turns deadly

Hunt comes to her aid with his right hand man Luther (Ving Rhames, the only returning cast member from the first two movies), Zhen (Maggie Q) and Declan (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). After a thrilling action sequence in Berlin, our team finds Lindsey but don't save her in time. Hunt makes it his mission to find the man responsible for her death. And that would be black marketeer Owen Davian (a super villainous turn by Philip Seymour Hoffman). Hunt and his team abducts Davian from the Vatican, of all places, to persuade him to tell them what the mysterious rabbit's foot is that Davian is trying to sell to a foreign power.

Philip Seymour Hoffman as bad guy Owen Davian

After a tussle or two, Davian escapes and now the tables are turned as he kidnaps Julia, forcing Ethan to return the rabbit's foot to him within 48 hours or Julia will die. Hunt is now a man on a mission.

Ethan and his beautiful wife Julia (played by Michelle Monaghan)

Mission Impossible 3 is my favorite of the series so far as it is loaded with cool action scenes and great performances by the entire cast. Notable action sequences include a super charged shoot-out on a bridge between the IMF team and Davian's men. And a high speed car chase through the streets of Shanghai. Cruise is perfect once again as Ethan, and even gets to show a more tender side as he is now a married man. Hoffman rocks it as the bad guy. A truly memorable performance. Laurence Fisburne is also top notch as IMF's new boss. Also look for Simon Pegg as tech guy Benji. All in all MI3 fires on all cylinders, never making a false step. And now I can't wait for Ghost Protocol when it hits theaters next week.
B+

Shoot out at the bridge

Ethan doing his thing

Maggie Q as Zhen

Ving Rhames as Luther

The IMF team striking a pose