Gone, baby, gone is the second book in the Kenzie and Gennaro serie I read. You might be more familiar with the movie though which I haven't seen yet but will in the near future. This story takes place around the abduction of Amanda McCready. A four years old little girl from Dorcester whose mother is negligent enough to go drink, while Amanda sleeps alone their unhealthy apartment, in a watering hole named Filmore tap. A place where vermins and other low-life criminals hang out. Right off the bat you can tell this story's gonna question your own morality. But what's great about this book is that even if you're expecting it, the way it questions our morality, our perspective on society, on the ugliness hidden in plain sight that surround all of us, is overwhelming. Gone, baby, gone kept me turning the pages whenever I had the time to, even brought the book at my job so I could read during breaks.
Besides the thrill of the story itself, I got surprised a few times and I love it when I'm surprised, I have to give the first star to Remy Broussard. Lehane built one of the most interesting characters I've read about so far. He's a gritty detective, clever, athletic and good looking with almost 20 years of service in different departments such as vice, narcs and the CAC, crimes against children. He's on the McCready case with his partner Poole, a cop nearing retirement. Broussard is the kind of guy that can be very hard with the whom he loathes and very warm and caring with the one he loves and he loves children. That multiple dimensions/ layers type of personality makes him alive and go beyond the tough enough policeman who has seen too much shit he'd never blink an eye anymore on misery and deprivation. When he and Poole told their story about the kid they've found in a barrel with cement still liquid and the way he looses his temper during the Cheese Olamon's interrogation are good example of how well built Remy Broussard is. He's also the character that will challenge your morality the most.
Lehane has not only my respect and admiration. He rightfully deserve a place in my favorites authors list and I won't wait long to read another of his books. He's that good.
I just watched the movie and didn't enjoy it. They made modifications in the script that altered the motives and made what was a tight story, something else. What works in the book is how well every pieces of the puzzle fit in together.
ReplyDeleteThey renamed Broussard for Bressant ... I don't even know what was that coming from. They also renamed Cheese Olamon for some french name. Wasn't necessary.
I don't know the name of the guy who played Bubba but if I could have a talk with the casting director I'd say the guy has nothing to picture Bubba. People fear Bubba. He's a one motherfucker people don't want to fuck with. In the book, Cheese started to talk when Patrick and Angie threaten him with Bubba's possible retaliation. The guy playing him simply looked like a little overweight gangsta rap kind of wanna be. And worst of all. He's a weapon dealer, yet in the movie, they made him a drug dealer. I simply don't get it.
Another thing, the duality in Broussard, they made that gone away too and it made the morality questions fade a lot. One of the most important of the book is the discussion between Broussard and Kenzie on the top of the building, minutes before Broussard's death. They cutted it to a few words.
I really believe Affleck butchered ( or didn't get ) the story.
I agree that Ben Affleck's Bubba just didn't cut it. He played in THE TOWN also, so I think they are friends or something. And yes also. I think he's a rapper. But on the bright side of things, it's the novel where Bubba is the least important.
ReplyDeleteI think Dennis Lehane's novels are very difficult to adapt to films. While Clint Eastwood crafted an object of beauty with MYSTIC RIVER, it's not even in the same league thant the book. Also picking Gone Baby Gone to start the Kenzie movies? It was the wrong decision.
Well it might not be the best choice like you said but man I could go on and on and on about the differences in the script that bugged the rest of the story. I stopped myself to not spoil anything important in the book.
ReplyDeleteI understand sometimes you need to make change a thing or two for whatever reasons. But for many things I couldn't find one, not even a bad one.
It's not always for cutting here and there so the movie could fit in less than two hours.
Another Lehane book I need to read , sounds good.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this series! I cannot say enough good things about Dennis Lehane. Each novel is fantastic due to the characters of Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. The writing is fantastic, the dialogue is great and the story is fantastic. Lehane knows how to write a great detective story.
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