terrific second film

Rating: 8/10 (26 October 2010)

This is a really terrific thriller that backs up Ben Affleck's career as a director after his first film Gone Baby Gone. It wastes no time in setting up the premise of a gang of 'serial' bank robbers and the volatile state they find themselves in. Of course a hostage is taken which leads to some very clever plot devices, including a spot of romance and hidden truths.
The film looks great and never gets too bogged down in the harshness of 'The Projects' or the reasoning behind the bank robbers. The robberies themselves are executed brilliantly and are full of tension as is a scene where Afflecks character and Clare have coffee only to be interrupted by another of the robbers who of course is mates with Affleck's character Doug. Clare is of course unawre of the fact that she is dating her captor and the friend is the one she saw the tattoo one. It's so well played out, I think I was gripping my arm a little too tightly. The whole cast are excellent in this and there are great turns from Jon Hamm and Jeremy Renner.
The ending is perhaps a little expected, but right up until then it moves along seamlessly. Affleck does well handling the scenes where tension is needed, car chases through narrow streets are remarkable. There are also a couple of nice moments: when the robbers park the car only to notice as they jump out a cop car right opposite and also when Doug calls Clare at the end and asks if he can meet her and we see him watching her across the street as she lies that she is alone but is surrounded by FBI.
Affleck himself also shines in this, not only has he never looked better, but he actually acts well in this. You can almost forgive him for Gigli. Almost.
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