Review: THE TOWN

I’d love to claim I’ve not taken part in past bashing of Ben Affleck, but my conscience won’t allow me to type such a flagrant lie. However, what I can say is my opinion of Ben Affleck as an actor has changed substantially, in great part due to the fact that he is an excellent director. With that said, I humbly retract my prior comments of contempt for Affleck — the average actor — and replace them with a newly developed admiration for Affleck the filmmaker.

Ben Affleck first surprised audiences and critics alike in 1997 with GOOD WILL HUNTING, more for his outstanding writing efforts with Matt Damon, than his acting, but a decade later he truly showed what he’s made of when Affleck presented his directorial debut with GONE BABY GONE. Having proven him self worthy of the critics’ watchful eyes as a director, Affleck returns with THE TOWN, his sophomore effort as a filmmaker and the film follows suit as a powerfully engaging and smart drama. The story follows a local crew of bank robbers in Charlestown, a neighborhood in Boston, infamous for its reputation of producing more career thieves than any other place in the world.

Ben Affleck stars as Doug MacRay, mastermind and ring leader of the four-man crew, affectionately referred to by FBI Special Agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm) as the “not screwing around crew.” His best friend and brother-by-default Jim, played by Jeremy Renner, is a loose cannon with a temper. Jim — aka “Gem” — is a hot fuse and a potential liability to the more strategically planned, no-one-gets-hurt criminal philosophy that Doug attempts to live by.

Jeremy Renner shines in THE TOWN, displaying an intensity that takes his performance in THE HURT LOCKER to another level, not necessarily the “next” level, but a whole new level. As a viewer looking into these characters’ lives, Renner had moments that made me feel like my own safety and well-being was at jeopardy at his hands, most effectively when while he wasn’t actually being violent. Affleck’s acting has improved significantly since stepping behind the camera and additional praise goes to the performance given by veteran actors Chris Cooper and Pete Postlethwait in their rather small, supporting roles.

Business has been great Doug and company, especially when they’re the crew of choice, working for Fergie — aka “The Florist” — has its benefits. Fergie, played by Pete Postlethwait, runs a flower shop as a cover for what’s really a bookie operation, through which he also filters bank jobs for Doug’s crew. Fergie is also Jim’s father, so Doug feels a slight obligation to his adopted family’s business, but not so much that he’ll break his own code of honor.

During the crew’s second bank job, after a successful run of armored truck jobs, Doug gets his first taste of just how unstable Jim can be, resulting in the crew taking Claire, the bank manager, hostage. Courtesy of Doug and his code, Claire (played by Rebecca Hall) is freed, unharmed, but her freedom creates tension between Doug and Jim that permeates throughout the remainder of the story.

Overall, Doug’s a good guy, despite being a bank robber, so his relationship that develops with Claire is there with good intent, for more than one reason, but they both have secrets they’re keeping that can threaten everyone’s freedom. Doug is a likable character, but he’s not without his flaws and issues, the biggest of which is his obsession with his mamma, who walked out on him at the tender age of six. He’s spent his life looking for her. Doug’s father, played by Chris Cooper, is serving life for a robbery gone wrong.

THE TOWN is effectively slow and deliberate, taking its time to build the suspense and develop the dynamic web of relationships between the characters involved. Doug is a character somewhat torn by the conflict between his sense of debt to Jim, his professional commitment to Fergie and his relationship with Claire. Doug is trying hard to change, but he finds it difficult to simply turn his back on who he is, and the town that’s become such a part of him.

Visually, THE TOWN is bleak, conveying a sense of hopeless monotony in the routine for the characters, imprisoned by their own lives. While the story is filled with dialogue of personal reflection and real human drama, THE TOWN also boasts some top-notch action, especially during the climactic final job… the big one that Doug hopes will be his last. Creativity, energy and intensity are what define the final moments of THE TOWN, followed by a bittersweet ending.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars