Jeremy Renner Personifies Tension

Rating: 7/10 (14 October 2010)

The Town" is directed, written and starred in by Ben Affleck. I do not particularly like Ben Affleck. I did not really think I would watch this film. However, when I found out that Jeremy Renner was in it, and with its positive word of mouth, I thought why not check it out.
"The Town" is a crime drama set in the Charlestown area of Boston. The story though is not about the crimes per se, but about Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), the leader of this group of bank robbers. MacRay is tired of the life of crime he is in and wants to get out, but circumstances would not allow him to. When he develops an intimate relationship with Claire (Rebecca Hall), a bank manager of a bank they robbed, he gains further resolve to really get out of it all.
While Ben Affleck is still generally dull as the lead actor, he gets his cast to perform very well. Jeremy Renner, excellent as the loose cannon gang member Jem, commands the screen whenever he is in it. Even Gossip Girl Blake Lively unexpectedly turns in a gritty realistic performance as Jem's white trash sister.
The action sequences were topnotch. From the first bank robbery scene, then the breathtaking car chase following the second armored car hijack, to the final grand heist in old Fenway Park itself, all of these scenes were executed expertly with excitement and suspense. The best scene overall though was a quiet one, when Jem walks in on Doug and Claire having lunch is a masterpiece of tension. You can really sense the danger as Jem talks to Claire while Doug squirms in his seat.
Ben Affleck does better as director than actor in this. He gets the various elements of the film to cohere into a crisp and exciting final product. I did feel though that certain parts went a bit too long. Oscar nominations are already being predicted for this movie, but I think it is still too early to tell. However, Jeremy Renner seem to be a shoo-in for Best Supporting Actor, at least as nominee. He personified that the tension essential to make this film work.