A Fine, Smart, Well Made Drama

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2010)

THE TOWN, the title refers to Charlestown, a section of Boston infamous for the crime and criminals who hail from that area, and Director, Actor, and Co-Writer (with Peter Craig and Aaron Stockard) Ben Affleck knows this area well as is evident in not only the accents of all of his characters but also in the choices of locations for this fast moving bank heist drama. Affleck knows how to bring out the best in his cast of superb actors - never forgetting that despite the crusty surfaces of his people their lies beneath a bruised psyche.
Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) leads a gang of bank robbers - James Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), Gloansy Magloan (Slaine), Desmond Elden (Owen Burke) - carrying off a series of successful heists dressed in costumes to conceal their identity, laundering their stolen money at the guidance of florist Fergie (Pete Postlethwaite) in a manner that eludes the police. During one of their heists they take a hostage, the bank manager Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall) whom they release after the heist. Knowing that she may inform the FBI Doug decides to makes friends with her but instead of assuring his fellow gang that she will not be a problem Doug instead falls for her. The FBI - Frawley (Jon Hamm) and Dino (Titus Welliver) - remain hot on the gang's trail, attempting to get information from Doug's old girlfriend Krista (Blake Lively, in a breakout performance!). Doug is conflicted and thinks of leaving the gang so that he won't end up like his father (Chris Cooper) who is in jail, but James is the baddie here and demands the gang stay together for at least one last major heist. A schism arises between Doug and Claire and uncovers a deep scar from Doug's past. From that point on through the end of the film the story is filled with conflicts, chases, the gang's outwitting the FBI and Boston police, all with the gang's penchant for changing disguises frequently. The ending is full of surprises.
Though not a great movie, THE TOWN is far better a film than many that are gaining award nominations. One of the reasons is the tight ensemble work by this surprisingly fine cast who together give us a slice of Boston we'll not forget. Well worth watching.
Grady Harp