“The Town” is reminiscent of Jack Nicholson and his first raspy lines in “The Departed:” “I don’t want to be a product of my environment; I want my environment to be a product of me.” Running on this theme, Ben Affleck proves he is one director-actor to be reckoned with. Previously directing the excellent “Gone Baby Gone,” this new directorial effort may not be as fantastic, but it is certainly another great film from the Oscar winning screenwriter turned actor turned director.
“The Town” centers on the small neighborhood of Charlestown in Boston, Massachusetts. According to the opening screen shots, more bank robberies occur in this neighborhood than any other in the world. Whether this is factually accurate makes no matter, because this sets up a taut, suspenseful action movie that is both thrilling and emotionally charged.
Ben Affleck stars as Doug Macray, a former hockey star who eventually becomes a bank robber by the nature of his upbringing and the neighborhood he lives in. Doug is living with his loyal best friend, Jem (Jeremy Renner), and together with two other accomplices, they pull off bank robberies around Boston. In one particular bank Doug and his crew rob, he meets a beautiful bank manager (Rebecca Hall) named Claire. They kidnap her, and after discovering they still have her license and that she lives nearly on the same block, Doug starts following her. He wants to make sure she won’t be a liability to the group. If she recognizes them, she could turn them in. Doug eventually maneuvers a meeting in a Laundromat to see if she could identify him, but she doesn’t. Soon, the two start dating and falling in love. She doesn’t know he was the man who robbed her bank, kidnapped, and traumatized her. Doug eventually realizes she represents the life he could have, free from the world of drugs, seedy criminals, and always having to run away from the police. His best friend’s sister, played by Blake Lively, is a prostitute, a single mother, and a drug addict in love with Doug. She’s in love with him, and she represents the life that Doug realizes he wants to outrun. Performing one last job, Doug believes that he will finally cut his ties to the world that can’t seem to loosen its grip on him.
Ben Affleck is fantastic as Doug. Ironically though, the former Bostonian’s Boston accent is the most conspicuous in this caps-and-rahbahs flick. He remains convincing however, and you can feel his pain over the life he could have had and the one he’s trying to escape from. He is a criminal, but somehow, his character is so sympathetic, you might find yourself hoping he doesn’t get caught by the police so he can live a happy life with Claire. Jeremy Renner is fantastic as the hot-headed loyal best friend of Doug, whose temper proves to be a detriment to the team. He did nine years in prison, saving Doug from the same fate, so it is understandable why he tries to pull Doug back into the life he so dearly wanted to leave. The women in the film are also wonderful. Rebecca Hall plays her role with just the right amount of vulnerability without delving into the melodramatic. Blake Lively is an absolute delight. I looked forward to seeing her heavily smudged make upped and coked-up character in every scene. With very little self-esteem, her character is always getting used and hurt. It is understood why she would want to pull Doug back into his life in Charlestown because she loves him. Jon Hamm is also in the film as a tough-as-nails FBI agent tracking down Doug’s crew. I would’ve liked to see more of him, but he was extremely effective nonetheless.
Affleck moves the camera with a loving touch over his hometown. Sweeping, bright aerial shots of the city set up each scene beautifully. He creates a rich texture and dynamic setting for his film, and it is obvious how he feels about the city of Boston.
“The Town” is about how our upbringing molds us into the people we can become. The film is already being touted as an Oscar nominee for Best Picture. It might not get there, but it could definitely be considered as one of the best movies of the year, so far. With several new films coming out, bound to vie for Oscar contention, “The Town” may be lost in the shuffle, but Ben Affleck definitely deserves some kudos for serving up a film that is fast, exciting, but with a touch of heart that makes you care about it all. All in all, solid casting, great directing, and a taut script make “The Town” definitely worth the visit.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Where to Find It: In Theaters 9/17
“The Town” centers on the small neighborhood of Charlestown in Boston, Massachusetts. According to the opening screen shots, more bank robberies occur in this neighborhood than any other in the world. Whether this is factually accurate makes no matter, because this sets up a taut, suspenseful action movie that is both thrilling and emotionally charged.
Ben Affleck stars as Doug Macray, a former hockey star who eventually becomes a bank robber by the nature of his upbringing and the neighborhood he lives in. Doug is living with his loyal best friend, Jem (Jeremy Renner), and together with two other accomplices, they pull off bank robberies around Boston. In one particular bank Doug and his crew rob, he meets a beautiful bank manager (Rebecca Hall) named Claire. They kidnap her, and after discovering they still have her license and that she lives nearly on the same block, Doug starts following her. He wants to make sure she won’t be a liability to the group. If she recognizes them, she could turn them in. Doug eventually maneuvers a meeting in a Laundromat to see if she could identify him, but she doesn’t. Soon, the two start dating and falling in love. She doesn’t know he was the man who robbed her bank, kidnapped, and traumatized her. Doug eventually realizes she represents the life he could have, free from the world of drugs, seedy criminals, and always having to run away from the police. His best friend’s sister, played by Blake Lively, is a prostitute, a single mother, and a drug addict in love with Doug. She’s in love with him, and she represents the life that Doug realizes he wants to outrun. Performing one last job, Doug believes that he will finally cut his ties to the world that can’t seem to loosen its grip on him.
Ben Affleck is fantastic as Doug. Ironically though, the former Bostonian’s Boston accent is the most conspicuous in this caps-and-rahbahs flick. He remains convincing however, and you can feel his pain over the life he could have had and the one he’s trying to escape from. He is a criminal, but somehow, his character is so sympathetic, you might find yourself hoping he doesn’t get caught by the police so he can live a happy life with Claire. Jeremy Renner is fantastic as the hot-headed loyal best friend of Doug, whose temper proves to be a detriment to the team. He did nine years in prison, saving Doug from the same fate, so it is understandable why he tries to pull Doug back into the life he so dearly wanted to leave. The women in the film are also wonderful. Rebecca Hall plays her role with just the right amount of vulnerability without delving into the melodramatic. Blake Lively is an absolute delight. I looked forward to seeing her heavily smudged make upped and coked-up character in every scene. With very little self-esteem, her character is always getting used and hurt. It is understood why she would want to pull Doug back into his life in Charlestown because she loves him. Jon Hamm is also in the film as a tough-as-nails FBI agent tracking down Doug’s crew. I would’ve liked to see more of him, but he was extremely effective nonetheless.
Affleck moves the camera with a loving touch over his hometown. Sweeping, bright aerial shots of the city set up each scene beautifully. He creates a rich texture and dynamic setting for his film, and it is obvious how he feels about the city of Boston.
“The Town” is about how our upbringing molds us into the people we can become. The film is already being touted as an Oscar nominee for Best Picture. It might not get there, but it could definitely be considered as one of the best movies of the year, so far. With several new films coming out, bound to vie for Oscar contention, “The Town” may be lost in the shuffle, but Ben Affleck definitely deserves some kudos for serving up a film that is fast, exciting, but with a touch of heart that makes you care about it all. All in all, solid casting, great directing, and a taut script make “The Town” definitely worth the visit.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars
Where to Find It: In Theaters 9/17
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