Entertaining Heist Film

Rating: 7/10 (6 January 2011)

"The Town" is an excellent film that does have its flaws. It is, however, one of the best films made of 2010 (maybe the best film of th year). Ben Affleck really proves himself as a serious filmmaker with his follow up to "Gone Baby Gone," which was among the best films of 2007. The direction is amazing and Affleck really impresses me here, far more than the aforementioned "Gone Baby Gone," which was standard fare that is the exact opposite of "The Town." "Gone Baby Gone" relied more on story, dialogue and acting whereas "The Town" relies on great execution of a rather unoriginal script. If there is a major negative aspect of the film is it's complete unoriginality. It's a remake of "Heat." Plain and simple. Thats what it is.
The shootouts are phenomenal and they're the best since "Heat," which are, pretty much, the best ever. It's a great little crime movie that yes, we've seen done before, but the performances and the craftsmanship are impeccable. That's really what makes it quite good. Its an extremely entertaining film, and for people who gravitate towards the genre (such as myself), should really enjoy it (unless they have some hatred towards Ben Affleck).
Jeremy Renner, who plays a Joe Pesci spawned stereotype, is truly amazing. He takes a blandly written character and makes him a really intense, nearly unpredictable person. He steals scene after scene he's in. It's the one true standout performance of the film. Affleck, the actor, is much better than expected, but not completely convincing as the leader of the Charlestown heist team.
You can enjoy it for what it is: a well done crime film with heavy action and good acting, or you can pick it apart for being unoriginal, which it is. If you sit and think about all the flaws of the film you can convince yourself it's an average to terrible movie. When I sit and watch it, I'm drawn in and entertained from start to finish.
The robbery sequences are gripping thanks to top notch directing, editing and sound mixing. The suspense is amazing. The ensemble cast is terrific. It's the kind of movie so entertaining that it will constantly bring me back to it. It's a magnificent achievement that does everything it sets out to do. It's one of the best films I've seen all year.