“Gone Baby Gone” is a mystery film masterfully directed by Ben Affleck, an actor and a screenwriter. The kidnapping story set in the criminal districts of Boston depicts the characters and their neighborhoods as backward and appalling. At the very beginning of the film, we find out that Amanda McCready, a little girl, has gone. Thus, her aunt and uncle decide to involve two private detectives, Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro, into the police investigation of the girl missing. Meanwhile, Amanda’s drug-addicted mother does not skip any episode of Jerry Springer Show, even though her child has disappeared. Along with the two policemen, the private detectives begin to suspect the whole criminal enterprise behind the girl missing.
Closer to the end of the movie, it becomes clear that if Amanda’s mother had been a responsible parent, her child’s abduction would likely have never taken place. When the little girl is found, there is a question to be asked whether it would be better for Amanda to stay with ‘kidnappers’, rather than come back to her heartless mother, because Helene McCready is a woman who prefers alcohol and drugs instead of taking care of her own child. Thus, “Gone Baby Gone” gives the understanding of the potential consequences of ‘doing good’, before all the real facts are taken into account. In this way, the film encourages us to think carefully before considering what is ‘best for the child’ (Lyons 3).
Kant’s moral philosophy can be applied to analyze the movie’s moral dilemma that a private investigator Patrick Kenzie had to face. Kant’s theory is based on the moral law and duty as an action that should be treated respectfully. By ‘moral dilemma’ we understand the heart-wrenching decision that carries strong intuitive and emotional weight and can lead to a failure of duty (Garlikov 2). This action is influenced by the individual’s desire to act within the principles of the duty. Immanuel Kant explains that an individual can only do the right thing for the right reason, even though acting on duty is not always sufficient, as it can lead a person to do the right thing for the wrong reason. Acting from duty is the only justification what makes this law absolute and universal. Moreover, as long as the moral law does not depend on our desires, it consists of what is called ‘categorical imperatives’ in Kant’s philosophical works (Gakuran 1).
For example, in “Gone Baby Gone”, Patrick Kenzie acts rationally, as he realizes his duty to report Jack being responsible for the kidnapping. However, we cannot be sure enough that Patrick is able to take a rational decision. Basically, Kant’s absolute theory gives us an idea that an individual is not allowed to choose which duty is more desirable and morality based even if he follows strong rationality principles. In fact, it depends on how a person accepts these duties. In Patrick’s prescriptive, he knows that he gave a promise to Helen and he has to do it, as he believes this is the right duty. Such moral obligation cannot be universal; we aim at doing things considered by the society as morally right. Thus, Patrick can easily hold a wrong decision to do the right things, or a right reason to do the wrong things ("Kant's Moral Philosophy - Gakuranman" 4).
“Gone Baby Gone” provides a good example of the moral dilemma where we can do the right things for the right reasons or not. If moral sense were based purely on feelings, it would vary from person to person. Kant points out that it could be difficult to gauge our own motives when, in fact, we are motivated by vanity or ambition. However, this does not mean that we should dislike or be indifferent to our actions in the attempt to be moral (Rickman 5). Although Kant’s moral philosophy explains Patrick’s decision, unfortunately, its absolute idea cannot give a clear explanation and the reasons of the morality of the Patrick’s action. In other words, this moral dilemma requires ranking the duties and choosing the best solution, while Kant’s universal view leaves no place for such decision-making ("Kant's Moral Philosophy - Gakuranman" 4).
Works Cited
Gakuran, M. 2008. Kant’s Moral Philosophy. Web. 26 July 2016.
Garlikov, R. 2016. "Kant's Moral Philosophy". Web. 26 July 2016.
Lyons, R. 2016. "Gone, Baby, Gone: Who’S Fit To Be A Parent?". Spiked-online.com. Web. 26 July 2016.
"Kant's Moral Philosophy - Gakuranman". Gakuranman. 2008. Web. 26 July 2016.
Rickman, P. 2016. "Having Trouble With Kant? | Issue 86 | Philosophy Now". Philosophynow.org. Web. 26 July 2016.
