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Parents' Guide to

Gone Baby Gone

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Deeply affecting crime thriller for grownups.

Movie R 2007 114 minutes
Gone Baby Gone Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 17+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Sweetd1769
Sweetd1769 Adult
September 15, 2018
age 16+

More irritating than enjoyable

A few prostitutes crossing the streets in mini skirts, also very sleazy lady who shows cleavage. The mother is a drug addict who dresses with low hip jeans flashing her tummy.
Elizabeth V.
Elizabeth V. Parent
October 12, 2016
age 17+

Gone Baby Gone

Personally I felt this was a captivating crime thriller that is suitable for adults and maybe mature older teens. You can read a plot summary and film review to decide if it would be something entertaining but as far as it being suitable to watch for children, I would firmly say no. The film is about 80% foul language, there is violence, drug use and sexual content. I honestly would not even have it on if your child is not paying attention and playing in the same room. I will describe a scene below and you can decide if this is something your child can handle. I felt physically ill watching this and was quite disturbed afterwards- A child is brutally murdered and raped- a brief flash of a bloated, dead little boy in a tub and his stained, bloody underwear in the sink, followed by gun violence. I literally had nightmares about this and it stayed with me days after watching the film. Perhaps I am overly sensitive but I felt the gore of that specific scene was gratuitous. They could have just shown the outline of the child and cut it from there.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on Dennis Lehane's novel of the same name, Ben Affleck's directorial debut GONE BABY GONE stars Affleck's younger brother, Casey, in a subtle-yet-powerful performance as Patrick Kenzie. Patrick is a two-bit detective roped into the big time when he and his partner (business and otherwise), Angie Gennarro (Michelle Monaghan), are recruited by a neighbor to help investigate the disappearance of 4-year-old Amanda McCready (Madeline O'Brien). Amanda isn't like many of the kids who unfortunately find themselves plastered on network news when they're abducted; she's from Dorchester, a hardscrabble South Boston community addled by drugs and crime. Her mother, Helene (Amy Ryan, in a stunningly affecting -- and effective -- turn), is a junkie, and her father is nowhere to be found. Victims like Amanda are apt to fall through the proverbial cracks: Already, the cops haven't turned up anything. Despite their misgivings, Patrick and Angie may be the only hope Amanda has, but their choice to get involved -- and stay involved even when answers have already been "found" -- may change them, and their relationship, forever.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

An impressive, confidently helmed vehicle that ably mixes grit with heart, Gone Baby Gone lays to rest any impression that Affleck's talent, much-lauded in the Good Will Hunting days, is no more. From the first frame on, Ben Affleck's affection -- and, more important, his respect -- for his native city is palpable; rather than romanticize it, he presents it as is, with the ugliness intact. Much has been made of the lengths he took to be authentic (he shot in Dorchester and cast locals in nearly every scene) and it pays off. The movie thankfully lacks the gloss of many other crime movies, even those that are well done (like Out of Sight, for example). Even the twist ending feels less like a device and more like an essential plot development. Lehane's story is grim, as is the film's palate and tone. It may even outdo another lauded Lehane-inspired film, Mystic River.

The film does take time to find its footing early on, slightly hobbled by too much exposition (this is the drug dealer; here's the possibly corrupt cop; etc.). And Angie's character is sadly lightweight (though Monaghan gives it the old college try). But Gone Baby Gone quickly gets into a groove, thanks in no small part to a stellar cast -- can Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris do wrong? -- and a script, penned by Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard, that isn't afraid to be ambiguous and complicated. Much like this new incarnation of Affleck himself.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why people will want to see this movie -- because of the story, or because Ben Affleck directed it? Why do you think some actors choose to go into directing? Which role gives them more power within the media industry, and why? Families can also discuss how the media handles stories about missing people, particularly children. Do you think cases are covered differently based on their circumstances (i.e. a child being kidnapped from a tough, working-class neighborhood instead of a pretty, manicured suburb)? If so, why?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: October 18, 2007
  • On DVD or streaming: February 11, 2008
  • Cast: Casey Affleck , Ed Harris , Morgan Freeman
  • Director: Ben Affleck
  • Inclusion Information: Black actors
  • Studio: Miramax
  • Genre: Drama
  • Run time: 114 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: violence, drug content and pervasive language.
  • Last updated: October 5, 2023

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