Thoughts on 'Gone Baby Gone'

I recently watched Gone Baby Gone a film directed by Ben Affleck, which got rave reviews from the critics. Some about anything Affleck makes me weary of being hugely disappointed. Needless to say Gone Baby Gone engrossed me in the tragic neighborhoods of Boston. An impressive cast consisting of Morgan Freeman, Casey Affleck, Ed Harris give their standard performances. What was most impressive is how Gone Baby Gone engaged a topic that's been a struggle of mine this past year.

What if a child is born into a situation that their almost doomed to enter into a cycle of substance abuse, family violence and crime. In meeting so many parents who are unfit to provide for these teens, it is hard to hear stories of ten year olds providing and supporting for a family. Gone Baby Gone does an incredible job of putting this struggle to film, what if you could give a child a new life and at the same time break the law. Who in our society decides when a mother should have her child taken away.

In reading so many social histories at The Behavioural Health Fondation one is left with the impression that anyone growing up in this environment would have ended up in a similar situation. This haunting struggle hit its head when A.J.,one of my 'Keykids' parents came for his graduation and did not appear to care about the him.

What Gone Baby Gone does so well is if given the chance to give one of these 'doomed kids' a real chance at life would you do or allow it to happen. Much of the movie tugged at my emotions, but at the same time showed both sides of the situation. Too often movies that tackle a touchy subject give a one-sided approach or answer to the situation. Affleck should be commended for the honest and fair approach in showing the honest fact when a person does what they fee is 'right' it still puts the child in jeopardy.