(no subject)
Brandon Gierman
3-27-08
FILM PAPER
There are many diverse and interesting characters in the film “Gone Baby Gone.” I found that I could choose several different characters to accurately represent what humans are truly like. Of all the characters in the film, I felt Patrick Kenzie was the character that consistently showed true humanity. Throughout the film he was faced with several different circumstances that could truly test ones humanity. In all the situations he faced I felt he made the choices that correctly portray inherent human nature.
All the characters in the film are as real as can be in a movie, none more so then Private Detective Partick Kenzie. He lives in Boston with his girlfriend, and co-detective, Angie Gennaro. Early in the film he is faced with the biggest test of his young life. The aunt and uncle of a kidnapped little girl go to him for help. Upon hearing Patrick is a private detective, and knowledgeable about the local neighborhood, the aunt of the little girl feels he could be of great assistance. This is no small task for Patrick to take on. He, nor Angie, has ever dealt with a kidnapping. At first, like any small local private detective, he is hesitant to take this job. This is where a flash of true humanity shines through with Patrick. Despite the difficulty of taking on a job like this, he believes that it would be the right thing to try and help in any way possible. After a short talk with Angie, Patrick tells the aunt he will do it.
Upon meeting the little girl’s mother, Patrick learns quickly she’s not your normal grieving mother. Some people would be so disgusted by the mother; they wouldn’t even be able to continue their investigation. Patrick though, seems to be the only one who connects with the mother even a little bit. He is able to look past her attitude and demeanor, and try to really investigate as to what happened to the little girl. It takes not only humanity, but a strong individual character to do this. He is able to work with the mother to find out that she stole money from a prominent drug lord. Patrick has no hesitations to approach this drug lord to try and figure out if he is behind the kidnapping. Putting his life on the line to try and get back this girl is another significant example of humanity shown by Patrick. This is not the only time in the film he puts his own life at risk for the benefit of someone else.
A short while later, with the case on the little girl closed, Patrick encounters another case very similar. Through a friend he discovers there is a pedophile living in a nearby house. Rumor has it that the pedophile may have a kidnapped child with him. Patrick ends up again putting himself on the line to try and recover this child. He gets in the house, faces gunfire, and ends up in the room where the pedophile is staying. Patrick then discovers the dead body of a young boy in the bathroom. Patrick, acting on impulse, decides to shoot the pedophile. At that particular moment, upon discovery of the little boy, he chose to kill another human. Naturally Patrick begins to question his actions. Angie tells him he did the right thing, that no one would fault him for killing a monster, a rapist. Patrick still feels that, morally, it was the wrong thing to do. This question Patrick internally raises is a commonly raised question amongst anyone. Is killing another human, for committing a truly heinous act, moral or immoral? I am opposed to capital punishment, but how can you fault Patrick’s decision at that moment? He was right there in the room with the man, and he saw the mutilated body of the boy. A lot of people put in that predicament, would have acted the same. For that particular incident, I feel Patrick is not at fault for his action.
The ending to the movie proves my point further about Patrick. Patrick discovers very odd things about the whole kidnapping of the little girl. He decides to go and personally question the retired Captain Doyle, who headed the investigation. He arrives at the Captain’s house to discover that the little girl is not dead; she is living with the captain and his wife. The captain tells Patrick that she is better off with him then with her mother. Captain Doyle, in my opinion, is right. The living condition with the little girl’s mother is not very god. The captain, on the other hand, can provide the little girl with a better life. This does not make Captain Doyle’s choice right, though. Patrick decides to call the cops on the captain, and have him arrested despite protest from even Angie. His decision is the right one. Would living with Captain Doyle be better for the little girl in the long run? Probably so, but who is the captain to decide this. The little girl belongs with her mother, and her mother has the birth given right to have her. This decision cost Patrick his relationship with Angie. Ultimately though, he did what he knew in his heart, he had to do. This is the ultimate example of Patrick’s true humanity.
To say Patrick was faced with true tests of humanity may honestly be an understatement. He was faced with moral questions and true tests of character also. He even deeply questioned his own decisions throughout the film. I rarely ever see a film where a character is faced with so many tests of one’s humanity. Patrick was not the only character in film to have his humanity put to the test, but he was the character who had his humanity raise not only questions, but answers too.