Great movie, Ben Affleck gains respect in a big way!

Rating: 8/10 (18 September 2010)

I was one of the many folks who didn't respect Affleck's acting and when I would see he was going to star in a movie, I would avoid it. He was kind of a laughingstock in this regard. But no longer. He impressed me big time in this movie with his brilliant performance as a blue collar criminal in Boston, and was so compelling to watch in the role. I don't know what happened but his acting is top notch here and I can see him even earning an Oscar for this performance. Plus, the other main character in the movie, who is his sidekick and best friend, that actor also gave a worthy performance as a tough, loyal thug. Very good acting from both of them and it made their interplay fascinating to watch. And another good performance was Affleck's love interest in the film, played by an actress I have never seen before. She did well in her role. (Though not up to the standards set by Affleck and his buddy in the movie)
This movie has some heartrending scenes and is touching at times, but is not without its flaws. I feel there was some material that was unnecessary, like the long drawn out shootout at the end. It reminded me of the movie "Heat", but was not nearly as good. And the ending is also copied too much from the Shawshank Redemption. I'm guessing Affleck is a big fan of that movie, because he directed this movie, and the ending is basically an echo of Shawshank's ending, though with some minor differences.
Still, overall I have to give this movie high marks as a crime drama with depth and great characters, with an especially great performance by Ben Affleck. Yup, I am now a fan of his and am anxious to see him follow up with more powerful and meaningful movies like this one!