Intense, dark and suspenseful, this tale of child abduction set in Boston was the perfect vehicle for Ben Affleck’s directorial debut. He cast his younger brother Casey in the lead, which turned out to be an excellent choice. Both the Afflecks were raised in Massachusetts and their knowledge of the streets is evident everywhere in this film. Great acting by Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman, as always. It’s rather easy to guess the twist that’s coming, but it doesn’t take away from the ethical dilemma that is set up at the end. Viewers have to grapple with what their own choices might be under such circumstances. Very well done.

Ahh so heart breaking. Sometime you just don’t know which road to choose. Gotta take a chance and do what you think is right.

Before I saw this I heard it compared to “The Departed” . . . but the similiarities start and end with the fact that both movies take place in Boston and include the Boston police.

I like how the end created a moral delimna for the main character (and the viewer). SPOILERALERT: I definitely thought the girl was better off with Morgan Freeman’s character, but at the same time, she didn’t belong to him and there’s a process – he should have called Social Services and gone through the lawful procedures (no matter how crazy and screwed up the system is) to have her removed from her mom.

Pretty good.

I think this movie is a really good example of Deontology (or Duty Ethics), and I like it for that. Patrick does the “right thing” because it is his duty, because it is the right thing to do period; he doesn’t base his decision on the consequences. A perfect example of a Deontological choice.

When the movie was over my mom said, “He made the wrong choice didn’t he.” I said no. She said, “but her mom will never change,” and I replied, “but that doesn’t mean she should stay with people who kidnapped her.” No telling how that would go either.

I didn’t know much about ethical theories until last semester when I took ethics class. It gave a good overview of the main theories, and while most of the student in my class seemed to think Duty Ethics was absurd, I connected with it the most.

Spoiler ahead, consider yourself warned

I also like how Patrick was somewhat taking responsibility in the end by checking up on Amanda and her mother and even babysitting. Who knows maybe the guy she was going out on a date with (who seemed quite the creep from what was told), will end up killing her, which would leave Amanda’s uncle Lionel, who was involved in the kidnapping and is now incarcerated, or his wife as her next of kin. Then perhaps somehow Patrick will have the opportunity to adopt her, knowing that he will provide a good, safe home. Then his girlfriend will come back and they can be a nice little family. That’s what I’d like to think anyway, and the ending lets you draw your own conclusions, such as that.