Ben Affleck took quite a beating following an outstanding turn in Chasing Amy and a Oscar win for co-writing Good Will Hunting with his childhood buddy Matt Damon. The years that directly followed would see him take on meaningless roles in films like Armageddon and Paycheck (that's an ironic title if ever there was one). Then came the J. Lo years. Through it all, there seemed to be talent brimming just below the surface of this handsome young fellow, talent that Affleck's friend Matt Damon had showcased time and time again following Good Will Hunting.

Last year, Affleck delivered his best performance since Chasing Amy with the under seen indie Hollywoodland, and now he's back to prove that his early career work was no fluke. Gone Baby Gone is his striking directorial debut. Based on a novel by Dennis Lehane (the same author who penned Mystic River), this film features Ben's younger brother Casey as a private detective who combs a seedy area in Boston, looking for a local woman's missing daughter. Gone Baby Gone is a tough, gritty film with colorful, hard hitting dialogue and richly textured characters. Casey Affleck is outstanding, and those who think he simply won the role because his big brother directed the project, might reconsider after seeing this performance (he's also said to be extremely effective in the current Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford). Casey shows maturity and great restraint as a one-time-hooligan who now operates on the right side of the law.

The supporting cast is equally impressive. Ed Harris is intense as a Boston police detective while Midnight Run's John Ashton (a terrific character actor who's been away far too long) is picture perfect as Harris' partner. Rounding out the cast are the likes of Morgan Freeman, Amy Madigan, and Amy Ryan. Affleck also cast local unknowns in several bit parts to strong effect. Michelle Monaghan appears to be a little out of her depth as Affleck's partner and on again, off again girlfriend. She just never hit the right note for me. There are a lot of themes running throughout this rather bleak film, but what's most striking about it is it's moral ambiguity. Sometimes good people make the wrong decisions believing them to be the right ones. Similar terrain was covered in Paul Haggis' outstanding Crash, but here, the proceedings are far more subtle.

Certainly, the final moments in Gone Baby Gone will evoke debate. Not only has Ben Affleck done a great service to the source material (along with co-writer Aaron Stockard), but he's done a masterful job capturing the sites and sounds of this neighborhood (not surprising given that he grew up in Boston). Many of the misguided souls who make up the majority of this piece are simply a product of their environment and while Affleck doesn't necessarily condone certain behavior, he allows us the audience to form our own opinions. This is one challenging movie experience. And it's great to see Ben Affleck back at the top of his game.