Ben Affleck’s trying to get out of his hole, and he’s got the help of some fine actors. The lantern jawed actor is directing Gone, Baby, Gone, from his own adaptation of the Dennis Lehane novel. He’s got his brother Casey starring, along with the very talented and wasted in Mission: Impossible III Michelle Monaghan and the always delightful Ed Harris.
Now Affleck has secured the services of the biggest star of The Electric Company – no, not Spider-Man but Morgan Freeman. I don’t know what role Freeman is playing, but I do know that the movie is about two private eyes investigating a missing child case in a run down neighborhood. Affleck started shooting the film this past Monday in Boston.
I have never subscribed to the Affleck hate – I think the guy has a good sense of humor and understands who he is. I do think that on some levels he’s made shockingly bad career moves, ones that seem to be the exact opposite of buddy Matt Damon’s more canny decisions. What I find intriguing about Gone, Baby, Gone, though, is that Affleck wrote it. First of all, it will be interesting to see if his Oscar for his only other screenplay was a fluke. Most of all, though, I want to see what his talents are in general; many ugly rumors swirl about how much of the Good Will Hunting script Affleck and Damon actually wrote.