Plot: Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane (“Mystic River”) comes a story of two Boston private investigators hunting for a kidnapped 4-year-old girl in the seamiest parts of the city. This quickly becomes an obsession for Patrick (Casey Affleck) and Angie (Michelle Monaghan) both professionally and personally. Who’s it for: If you’re wanting to see Ben Affleck fall flat on his face with his directorial debut, you’ll have to look elsewhere. If you like detective stories that are able to tap into some serious emotions, then this film is for you.

Expectations: I was curious to see what the Affleck brothers were capable of here, plus it is one of my friend’s favorite books, so I was optimistic.

SCORECARD

Actors: Casey Affleck as Patrick: Affleck might get more recognition with his role in “Assassination of Jesse James,” but I’m more of a fan of this role. We can root for Patrick as the detective who is completely in over his head. Grade: 9

Michelle Monaghan as Angie: Ever since “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” I have been a fan of Monaghan, and with her role as Angie, I continue to be. As Patrick’s partner and love interest, she adds a different moral center, which helps give the film that lasting, unnerving feeling. Grade: 7

Ed Harris as Detective Remy Bressant: This is exactly what you want out of a supporting role. Every time Harris appears on the screen, I get excited. Whether he is dropping a line about the latest Harry Potter book or talking about his past as an officer, Harris shines. Grade: 10

Morgan Freeman as Jack Doyle: It feels like Freeman has almost become our movie grandfather. He is typically playing nurturing characters and that voice speaks for itself. It was perfect casting to have Freeman play Jack, a sergeant who heads up the task force in rescuing abducted children. Grade: 8 Talking: “Things you don’t choose make you who you are,” is one of the opening lines, which sets a great stage. Casey Affleck always speaks a little too groggily. But that’s really the only complaint, and we get tons of authentic Boston dialects from the entire cast. Grade: 8

Sights and sounds: I thought “The Departed” captured Boston. Nope, I wasn’t even close. “Gone Baby Gone” showcases the raw city better than any film I can think of. Ben Affleck’s direction is fantastic and he seems to be willing to push the buttons to make a film feel real. The only complaint is the use of flashbacks (from previous moments in the film). Grade: 9

PLOT SPOILERS Best Scene: I love when a film can make me nervous. When Patrick enters a house looking for three potential kidnappers, everything goes quiet and we are left with silence except for his quick, nervous breaths.

Ending: There are two false endings here, and at first I thought it would be a downfall for “Gone Baby Gone,” but instead it changed the tone of the film from thrilling to absolutely heart wrenching.

Random Thoughts: Who knew Ben Affleck would make a great director? Though I didn’t want to give up hope, out of his last 10 performances only one has been good, which was “Hollywoodland.”

Rewatchability: Thrillers and who-done-its are always tempting to go back and watch again, so you can fit all the pieces together and with good performances from everyone. I could easily sit through this film again.

OVERALL “Gone Baby Gone” is a thriller that gives us much more. First off, Ben Affleck creates an authentic tone for the city of Boston, and then he gets great performances out of Casey Affleck, Ed Harris and the rest of the cast. More importantly, there are twists and turns that not only succeed to keep the thrills going, there are moral decisions made that can be talked about after the film is over. “Gone” is here to stay as one of the best films in 2007.

Overall Grade: 9