Ben Affleck used to be best known for his bro-mance with childhood buddy Matt Damon, tabloid-ready engagement to Jenny-from-the-Block and empty Michael Bay blockbusters. But memories of “Peal Harbor” etc. have been obliterated.
With his solid sophomore effort as a director, the bank-robber romance “The Town,” Affleck proves his emotionally powerful debut “Gone Baby Gone” three years ago was no fluke. Heretofore, the likable hunk is officially branded as an accomplished filmmaker.
‘The Town’
Rating » 3 out of 5 starsStars » Ben Affleck, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca HallDirector » Ben AffleckRated R for strong violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and drug useRunning time » 124 minutes
Some snipe his second turn behind the camera (like his first) is another crime thriller set in the Irish-American working class neighborhoods of Affleck’s Boston-area hometown. So what?
“The Town,” based on the novel “Prince of Thieves” by Chuck Hogan, involves a predictable main plotline that too often follows genre conventions. But Affleck’s wonderfully cast, absorbing piece offers him new challenges.
People forget the star is an Oscar-winning screenwriter (for that 1997 Boston-area drama “Good Will Hunting”). This time, he has co-written a script that calls for him to engineer heart-pounding action sequences while developing strong characters and for the underrated actor to direct himself as anti-hero protagonist. Affleck juggles the car chase and heist choreography along with his crucial on-screen duties well.
It happens in rough-and-tumble Charlestown, Mass., known as a breeding ground for bank robbery, the local family “profession.” Ruthless crime bosses like Fergie “the Florist” Colm (Pete Postlethwaite) span the generations as an incarcerated father (Chris Cooper) gives way to his son Doug MacRay (Affleck).
Lifelong friends form the crews. Unfortunately for the pragmatic Doug, his partner is a violent loose cannon, Jim Coughlin (“Hurt Locker’s” Jeremy Renner in another tour de force).
Besides Jim’s recklessness, something else is making Doug and his crew vulnerable with the FBI investigator (“Mad Men’s” versatile Jon Hamm) targeting them: Doug is falling in love with the beautiful bank employee he encountered while in disguise on one of his jobs. But Claire (unaffected Rebecca Hall) has no idea of Doug’s true identity. “Gossip Girl’s” Blake Lively plays the drug-addled townie who loves him too. A massive shoot-’em-up at legendary Fenway Park will determine their fates.
Affleck infuses everything with the tangible flavor of location and involving dialogue in scenes that resist movie-ish grandiosity. The generous director-actor even allows Renner’s brilliant supporting performance to upstage his own leading role. It all proves that “The Town” isn’t the only place where Affleck can make movies.
