The Town

Thought he hasn’t come back from the dead (he was still getting roles at least, albeit in complete dross), Ben Affleck continues his rehabilitation in the eyes of the movie going world by starring and directing in the above average The Town. Affleck’s been smart here as for all intents and purposes this is a heist movie, a genre that more often than not gets the thumbs up from a cinema audience, and coupled with the fact that this is set in Affleck’s beloved Boston, it’s a combination that provides thrills, drama and sight-seeing kicks for people with an interest in Bean Town. Set in the neighbourhood of Charlestown, Affleck stars as Doug MacRay, a member of a gang of armed robbers. Usually, cool, calm and calculated at what they do, things go awry at the start of the film when they find themselves having to take a hostage for the first time, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall). Though they release her without harm, the fact she lives in Charlestown provides tension amongst the group. MacRay attempts to track her down and discover what she knows, but he soon finds himself in a situation he never expected. I’ll leave the storyline there so as not to spoil what happens next. Though what we do get is some great acting from Affleck and Hall, their scenes together being particularly believable. One delivery from Hall where she describes the kid-napping is the films performance high spot. Jeremy Renner as the group’s loose cannon is a cliché, but also gives good value. Less successful is John Hamm as a charisma free cop on the gang’s tale, whilst Chris Coopers cameo as MacRay’s father seems forced. On that note it is interesting to read that the original cut that Affleck produced for the studio was four hours in length. I guess a lot of character development has ended up on the cutting room floor, but what’s left still works to an extent. Affleck keeps the robbery scenes short, which may be frustrating for some, but is realistic. In addition, he explores the unspoken relationship between cops and robbers, including one memorable scene where a policeman stumbles across the gang fresh from their latest heist. Affleck loves Boston no doubt and along with the numerous sweeping helicopter shots of the city the films finale takes place at Fenway Park. It’s a good finish, but the film moves into self indulgent territory a bit too much here and Affleck and co stick out like a sore thumb as they undertake a further robbery, looking more like an advert for a fashion chain, rather than hardened robbers. If this all sounds a touch familiar, well, it is. There are numerous comparisons that can be made with the vastly superior Heat. However, on it’s own The Town is still a decent production and it’ll be interesting to see what the phoenix that is Affleck applies his directorial eye to next.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
Some may mutter about a further ode to Boston from Affleck, but strong acting and decent direction mean you can give him some good will (sorry).Rating: 7/10