The Boston Police Department is not going to like this movie.

Rating: 8/10 (27 September 2010)

Ben Affleck obviously dove head first into this film, being director, lead actor and co-writer. His character Doug MacRay is a home grown product of Charlestown section of Boston where there have been more bank robbers per capita than any other place in the U.S.A. He and his buddy James Coughlin played by Jeremy Renner and a bunch of other guys blast open the movie pulling off one of those heists. There is plenty of action in this movie including one of best car chase scenes that we have seen since Gene Hackman in the French Connection quite a while ago. You really get to know and understand MacRay and can't help caring about him and rooting for his relationship with Claire Keesy (Rebecca Hall) the bank manager of the opening robbery who end up being sympathetic bed fellows. Casting Jon Hamm (of TV Mad Man fame) was a great choice as the opposing FBI agent along with Titus Welliver (the "bad" DA in the Good Wife TV series) who is his trusty assistant. The entire cast of characters is quite believable which is a tribute to their great acting, fast pace and the outstanding directing by Affleck who kept us on the edge of our seats. There also is a sensitive insight into how in some communities and families, young people get drawn into a life of crime from which it is very hard to extract themselves. The question is whether you can suspend reality and swallow the story line when the band of thieves faces down what seems to be the entire Boston PD including their SWAT teams and our hero ultimately attempts to do a payback to his beloved town.
FilmRap.net