Exciting crime drama

Rating: Null/10 (1 March 2011)

Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) and his pals are career criminals. On a bank job, they briefly take a hostage (Rebecca Hall) and soon after, she and Doug begin a romance. He wants to start a new life with her, but he can't change his ways and his next job is to rob Fenway Park.
This is an excellent movie. The characters are compelling and sympathetic and the script is fast-paced and intensely exciting. Affleck co-wrote and directed this tale of Charlestown, Boston, an area famous for its high percentage of deadly criminals. He captures the toughness and desperation of its inhabitants and the viewer feels a connection to the place and the people. Affleck is very good in his part and Jeremy Renner, who plays Doug's loyal but vicious buddy, was rightly nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The wonderful Chris Cooper has a small part as Doug's convict father.
The movie is full of brutal gunplay, car crashes, and bad language and still manages to portray Doug's sensitive side and have him emerge as a kind of hero. Its edge-of-your-seat action kept me engaged even though I don't usually like this kind of movie. Recommended.