Ben Affleck's acting abilities have often been the punching bag of critics and movie fans alike. He is an easy target for the potshots, and to his credit he seems to take it all in stride and keep moving forward. Well, it appears that he just may have made the best decision of his career. Ben has stepped off camera and shown us all that he was paying attention to what was going on behind the camera.

Gone Baby Gone marks Ben's big screen directorial debut and it is a wonderful thriller that dives right into the murky world of moral ambiguity and emotional distress with complete confidence in the material, the script (which he co-wrote), and his cast which features his younger brother, Casey, in the lead. It also doesn't hurt that the source material is his favorite book that was written by Dennis Lehane (who also wrote Mystic River which was turned into a film by another actor turned director, Clint Eastwood).

As the movie opens, we are introduced to Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan), a PI couple specializing in missing persons. Patrick's home and office is in the heart of the neighborhood he grew up in. He knows everybody and understands how the close-knit neighborhood operates. It should come as no surprise when a four-year-old girl goes missing, presumed kidnapped, that those who love the little girl and are disillusioned by the police efforts should arrive on Kenzie's doorstep looking for help.

Although this is clearly not the type of case that the couple is suited for, Patrick cannot say no to the neighborhood. Soon enough he and Angie find themselves in over their heads as they attempt to navigate the treacherous waters of drug dealers and other undesirables as they try to separate fact from fiction.

To continue with a plot description would do all involved a great disservice. While this is a mystery, it is not one that is revealed with a moment of shock and awe. It is a mystery that is without a twist, but is nowhere near devoid of suspense. The story builds organically through character motivations rather than by script gymnastics. The construction and build-up are entirely believable and the conclusion will remain with you long after the last credit has rolled. The climax will leave you questioning character motivations and what you might have done given a similar situation.