Film: The Town
Starring: Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting) and Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)
U.S. Release: 2010 (rated R)
Director: Ben Affleck (Gone Baby Gone)
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 123 minutes
One thing was certain, Warner Bro's dished out beaucoup bucks in order to promote the latest Ben Affleck project, The Town. You couldn't escape it's trailer on commercial spots all over television. Unlike Affleck's directorial debut Gone Baby Gone, The Town has high expectations and even bigger shoes to fill. Let it be known that I was a huge fan of Affleck's first film. Great acting, an intriguing story, and even a twist or two made Gone Baby Gone an instant classic. It even landed in the #12 spot on my "Top 20 Movies of the Decade" post. That being said, if Affleck's second big release is being critiqued under a microscope, it's definitely being done by me.
Present day Charlestown is the "bank robbery capital of America", so says The Town's tagline. Located in the slums of Boston, this corrupt town is a breeding ground for delinquents. The handbook on "how to be a criminal and (sometimes) not get caught" is passed down from generation to generation, leaving most growing children with no way out. Doug MacRay (Affleck) and James Coughlin (Renner) are no exceptions to the rule. With bank robbing in their blood, there's no other way for these two childhood friends to make ends meet. While pulling off a job at a local bank, MacRay and Coughlin's plan gets foiled, and they are forced to kidnap a bank manager (played by Claire Keesey) as collateral. Lucky enough, the duo get away scot-free and release their hostage. But when they come to find out she also lives in Charlestown, they need to pay even closer attention to her cooperation with the Feds.
There are plenty of great moments in The Town to discuss. Jeremy Renner, fresh off an Oscar nomination for The Hurt Locker, was superb. He's an up and coming actor who will definitely be on everyone's radar after this performance. He stole the movie. On the other hand, Affleck wasn't as brilliant. In fact, I found his character often lacking emotion. His unconvincing delivery took a little bit away from the film. Perhaps Affleck should stick to directing, and leave the acting to professionals.
The crime-drama craze has been out of hand lately. Many people are beginning to feel like the genre is overplayed, but The Town still has something to offer. The film is surely filled with cliches, and to add insult to injury, the whole Boston love-fest gets annoying. But when all is said and done, Affleck really knows how to depict a story. The action sequences are tasteful and by no means overdone. Also, the movie has a nice flow and the ending can only be described as "gratifying". The Town is definitely worth checking out in theatres, despite all of its imperfections.
Watch The Town if you enjoyed: Inside Man. Affleck's picture isn't as "cat and mouse" oriented as Spike Lee's clever film, but it's more humane and character driven.
Stars: 3 stars out of 4
Starring: Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting) and Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)
U.S. Release: 2010 (rated R)
Director: Ben Affleck (Gone Baby Gone)
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 123 minutes
One thing was certain, Warner Bro's dished out beaucoup bucks in order to promote the latest Ben Affleck project, The Town. You couldn't escape it's trailer on commercial spots all over television. Unlike Affleck's directorial debut Gone Baby Gone, The Town has high expectations and even bigger shoes to fill. Let it be known that I was a huge fan of Affleck's first film. Great acting, an intriguing story, and even a twist or two made Gone Baby Gone an instant classic. It even landed in the #12 spot on my "Top 20 Movies of the Decade" post. That being said, if Affleck's second big release is being critiqued under a microscope, it's definitely being done by me.
Present day Charlestown is the "bank robbery capital of America", so says The Town's tagline. Located in the slums of Boston, this corrupt town is a breeding ground for delinquents. The handbook on "how to be a criminal and (sometimes) not get caught" is passed down from generation to generation, leaving most growing children with no way out. Doug MacRay (Affleck) and James Coughlin (Renner) are no exceptions to the rule. With bank robbing in their blood, there's no other way for these two childhood friends to make ends meet. While pulling off a job at a local bank, MacRay and Coughlin's plan gets foiled, and they are forced to kidnap a bank manager (played by Claire Keesey) as collateral. Lucky enough, the duo get away scot-free and release their hostage. But when they come to find out she also lives in Charlestown, they need to pay even closer attention to her cooperation with the Feds.
There are plenty of great moments in The Town to discuss. Jeremy Renner, fresh off an Oscar nomination for The Hurt Locker, was superb. He's an up and coming actor who will definitely be on everyone's radar after this performance. He stole the movie. On the other hand, Affleck wasn't as brilliant. In fact, I found his character often lacking emotion. His unconvincing delivery took a little bit away from the film. Perhaps Affleck should stick to directing, and leave the acting to professionals.
The crime-drama craze has been out of hand lately. Many people are beginning to feel like the genre is overplayed, but The Town still has something to offer. The film is surely filled with cliches, and to add insult to injury, the whole Boston love-fest gets annoying. But when all is said and done, Affleck really knows how to depict a story. The action sequences are tasteful and by no means overdone. Also, the movie has a nice flow and the ending can only be described as "gratifying". The Town is definitely worth checking out in theatres, despite all of its imperfections.
Watch The Town if you enjoyed: Inside Man. Affleck's picture isn't as "cat and mouse" oriented as Spike Lee's clever film, but it's more humane and character driven.
Stars: 3 stars out of 4
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