Gone Baby Gone, do you agree?

[steelcity24]

I just viewed Gone Baby Gone, and the movie puts forth a fantastic question that I think would be very interesting to get all of your opinions on.

In the end of the movie Gone Baby Gone,

[Show spoiler]Casey Affleck's character makes the decision to turn in the police chief who has had possession of the girl the entire movie.

Do you agree with this decision?


Personally, I will start the vote off by saying no.

[MarkJ801]

You agreed with

[Show spoiler]kidnapping??

You're crazy. Is saying yes in the poll mean that you agree with Casey Affleck's decision?

[steelcity24]

Yes means you agree with Affleck's decision. Let me explain myself. To be honest,

[Show spoiler]in certain situations I do believe some children need to be "kidnapped". Not that I would encourage it, or ever do such a thing, but I believe it. I think that Morgan Freeman's character is right in this one. Yes, kidnapping is a completely morally wrong choice, but in some situations, you have to admit it is beneficial to the child. This child's mother is horrible, and yes, I do understand that all children belong to their family, but when their family shows complete disregard for their safety, like this mother does here, something has to be done, even if it is this extreme of a consequence. At the end, you see the mother going out on a date. She has no baby sitter planned to look after her daughter...who she has just gotten back. She does not even know the name of her girl's favorite doll. It seems as though she still has not learned her lesson, even after her traumatic experience. When the girl is old enough to understand what happens, I believe she should be given the choice whether or not she wants to go back to her mother...say when she is 16-17 years old.

Just my opinion...I'm not right, I'm not wrong.

[Belloche]

I think he made the right choice, not the easy choice.

In a related note, the first Kenzie/Gennaro novel in over 10 years should be out before the end of the year. It appears to be a direct sequel to Gone Baby, Gone with a now teenage Amanda Mcready going missing again. I love these books and I can't wait.

[lucv13]

Absolutely, while what the Officer did may be morally right, it was still illegal, by not turning him in he would be just as guilty as the Officer...

[serpheus]

I voted yes because when she turned 17 Morgan Freeman would have made a pass at her.

[CZAR]

Looks like the OP is the only one who disagree's with Casey making the "right" decision. Got Em!!

[steelcity24]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Looks like the OP is the only one who disagree's with Casey making the "right" decision. Got Em!!

Hey I stand by my decision. I initially felt the same as you guys, but as I thought more and more my decision started to sway a bit. I think Affleck's choice was the morally correct choice,

[Show spoiler] but I believe the girl would have had a better life with Freeman

, which is the most important thing IMO. Freeman clearly did something completely wrong, but in this case I do not think she should have returned to her mother.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by steelcity24

Hey I stand by my decision. I initially felt the same as you guys, but as I thought more and more my decision started to sway a bit. I think Affleck's choice was the morally correct choice,

[Show spoiler] but I believe the girl would have had a better life with Freeman

, which is the most important thing IMO. Freeman clearly did something completely wrong, but in this case I do not think she should have returned to her mother.

She most likely would have a better life but u have to do it legally.

[Show spoiler]Im sure all those high authority figures and character witnesses couldve gotten the kid taken away and Freeman couldve most likely adopted the kid

but u have to do it the right way. Got Em!!

[steelcity24]

Originally Posted by CZAR

She most likely would have a better life but u have to do it legally.

[Show spoiler]Im sure all those high authority figures and character witnesses couldve gotten the kid taken away and Freeman couldve most likely adopted the kid

but u have to do it the right way. Got Em!!

Yes, Freeman did it the incorrect, and illegal way. I'm not arguing whether what he did was wrong or not, it certainly was, however

[Show spoiler]I am arguing Affleck's choice to turn him in. Freeman's actions were incorrect, but I believe by turning him in, Affleck greatly impacts the girls life as well, unfortunately in a negative way IMO. Freeman did something wrong, and he should have consequences for that, but I do not believe he should face those, as the consequences seem to be severe on the girl as well, going back to her mother.

[Foggy]

I voted yes,

[Show spoiler]if Morgan Freeman felt the girl was getting mistreated, then he should of reported it to social services, not kidnapped her.

[Porkchop Express]

Originally Posted by steelcity24

Yes, Freeman did it the incorrect, and illegal way. I'm not arguing whether what he did was wrong or not, it certainly was, however

[Show spoiler]I am arguing Affleck's choice to turn him in. Freeman's actions were incorrect, but I believe by turning him in, Affleck greatly impacts the girls life as well, unfortunately in a negative way IMO. Freeman did something wrong, and he should have consequences for that, but I do not believe he should face those, as the consequences seem to be severe on the girl as well, going back to her mother.

I share your opinion on this and voted no for the same reasons.

[bandapart]

I got a sense at the end of the film that Casey Affleck's character "Patrick Kenzie" was seriously contemplating taking the little girl out of the hell he returned her to.

This was one of my favorite films of all time. Great casting, performances, writing, screenplay, and direction by Ben Affleck!

[Monolithium]

Originally Posted by serpheus

I voted yes because when she turned 17 Morgan Freeman would have made a pass at her.

And I voted yes as well. A child belongs with its mother.

[fatediesel]

A very difficult decision, but I voted no, I don't agree with Affleck's decision. While I agree that in most cases a girl belongs with her mother the movie made it clear that her life with her mother was hell and wouldn't improve, and I think the mother should have lost custody of the daughter. If she loses custody the girl will likely end up in foster care and bounce around until she is 18. With Freeman's character she had a stable, loving, home life, better than she would likely end up with under any circumstances. I'm not condoning kidnapping, and in a real life example I probably would want the girl returned to her mother, but in this case where we pretty much know all the facts I wouldn't report Freeman's actions.

[steelcity24]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

A very difficult decision, but I voted no, I don't agree with Affleck's decision. While I agree that in most cases a girl belongs with her mother the movie made it clear that her life with her mother was hell and wouldn't improve, and I think the mother should have lost custody of the daughter. If she loses custody the girl will likely end up in foster care and bounce around until she is 18. With Freeman's character she had a stable, loving, home life, better than she would likely end up with under any circumstances. I'm not condoning kidnapping, and in a real life example I probably would want the girl returned to her mother, but in this case where we pretty much know all the facts I wouldn't report Freeman's actions.

Exactly. It is extremely sad, but a lot of times children have a worse experience in foster homes than they did in their original environment. Children simply cannot develop into a successful adult when they are forced to worry about their physiological and safety needs every single day.

[seabterry]

Me and my wife talk about this point all the time. I do not agree with his decision, and neither does my wife. I do argue, however, that even if I wouldn't have done it, I do honestly believe that Affleck's character would have done it. They had already driven the point home that he was too honest.

I also agree with abandapart's post that Affleck's character regretted the decision at the end of the movie in the final scene. Now, he has to live with the thought that he made the wrong decision.

[steelcity24]

Exactly. I think the whole movie is just building up the fact that this girl has a miserable life, and even though it breaks all social and morale laws that we normally have, it really is for the better...unfortunately. I would certainly agree with the fact that Affleck regrets his decision at the end...for God's sake, the mother is going out and did not even get a baby sitter. Now I don't have kids, but if I did and my child was kidnapped, I'm not sure they would ever leave my sight again.

[lDlisturb3d]

It wasnt the right thing to do and people died that didnt have to. But returning that girl to her mother was the bad decision, she's gonna live the same exact life as before, at least she had a chance at life with Morgan Freeman. Sometimes you gotta do wrong for right, how do you think America came to be.

[Holmes]

Yes, I agreed with his decision, though it was a tough choice (in a tough film).

Even if Freeman and his wife raised her well and were doting and supportive parents, it would have been a family unit built on deceit and crime. I don't blame the Casey Affleck character at all for deciding to respect the law and return the missing girl to her mother, even if this decision had certain negative ramifications for everyone involved.