The Town Review

Director: Ben Affleck (Gone Baby Gone, Good Will Hunting)
Screenplay: Ben Affleck (Oscar for Good Will Hunting), Peter Craig, and Aaron Stockard
Starring: Ben Affleck, Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Rebecca Hall (The Prestige), and Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)
Gross Revenue: $40,222,000 (As of September 25, 2010)
Rotten Tomatoes Tomato meter: 94%
IMDB Rating: 8.3
      Before there was TomKat, before there was Brangelina, there was one of the most notorious celebrity couples of the modern age: "Bennifer".  The union of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez was the center of the tabloid attention for nearly two years.  It produced two mediocre movies (one of these Gigli, is universally considered one of the worst movies of all time).  Ben Affleck's reputation as one of Hollywood's top leading men was seeimingly forever tarnished.  After a rough divorce, he largely disappeared from the public eye.  He reappeared starring in mostly dramatic roles, and two years ago, directed his first movie to mass critical acclaim Gone Baby Gone.  The Town is his first movie in which he both starred AND directed and proves that Ben Affleck's first movie was no fluke; he is a skilled director, as well as a consumate actor.

     The Town takes place in a Boston suburb named Charlerstown.  A snippet at the beginning of the movie tells the viewers that Charlestown experiences more bank robberies more then any other town in America, in terms of robberies per capita.  The Town is a crime thriller about 4 life-long friends: Doug McRay (Ben Affleck), Jem Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), Gloansy Magloan (Slaine), and Dez Elden (Owen Burke). They work together as very efficient bank robbers, working for one of the local neighborhood drug dealers.  When one of their heists go south, they take one of the bank tellers (Rebecca Hall) hostage.  Despite simply driving her away and dropping her off at a beach, they feel worried that their identities could be exposed when they find out she is a local.  Doug McCray takes it upon himself to tie up "loose ends" with her.  However, he starts to fall in love with her, which causes him doubts about his life of crime.  Meanwhile they are ruthlessly pursued by amoral FBI Agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm).  It is an exciting crime thriller, with heart and heists to spare.
    Let me first say that I really enjoyed this movie.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I went in, but I came out pleasantly surprised.  This is one of those feel good movies, that always makes you feel better after you see it.  I have yet to see Gone Baby Gone, but I have seen Good Will Hunting, which is he and Matt Damon's award-winning screenplay.  Both of those movies are thematically similar.  They are both about Bostonian men, who after meeting a certain individual, changes their outlook on what they once viewed as an acceptable life.  These people, whether a psychologist or a girlfriend, teach these men that there is more to the world then this small town.  In the case of The Town, it is an escape.  Doug McCray is not happy with his life as a bank robber, and is looking for a way out, which his new relationship provides him.
       The Town doesn't "reinvent the wheel" in terms of storytelling, but since it is anchored by strong performances, that's ok.  Ben Affleck shines in this movie, and we are reminded of why he used to be a Hollywood A-lister.  Jeremy Renner also makes a star turn as Doug's increasingly violent best friend "Jem", who feels threatened by Doug's new relationship with the one person in the entire town who might be able to identify them.  Whenever he is on screen, you always feel a little uncomfortable, a little on edgem which is exactly how you are supposed to feel.  Jon Hamm turns out a marvelous performance as an FBI Agent that is easily on the biggest jerks I have ever seen in a movie.  His performance really blurs the line between "good and evil" which I find really interesting.
    Ben Affleck helped to write the screenplay.   The best thing about this movie is the characters.  I love how even though Doug McCray is a bank robber he's the "good guy", and Agent Adam Frawley is a FBI Agent and he's the "bad guy".  I really like how the movie blurs the traditional line between good and evil.  Though the story itself is fairly straightforward, the characters are interesting enough and the dialogue is good enough that I am entertained.  The movie features three bank heists and all three are very exciting and viscerally thrilling.  From beginning to end, this movie is a treat for the eyes and the heart.
    The Town is a very good movie.  It features solid performances, exciting heist sequences, and layered characters that one can relate to.  Whether in a bank heist or a quiet romantic scene, Ben Affleck shows his skills both in front of and behind the camera.  I very much look forward to his next movie.  The Town is a straightforward crime thriller, anchored by interesting characters and strong performances.  A good time at the movies.  3.5/5
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