Very Good...Affleck Continues To Shine Behind Camera

Rating: 9/10 (22 September 2010)

The Town is one of the most solid efforts I've seen this year. For me, minus a couple exceptions, the 2010 summer movie season was one of the most disappointing I've experienced in quite some time. Never have I been more ready to welcome a Fall movie line-up than this year. And one of the first movies high on my list of must-sees was The Town. It did not disappoint. Is it too soon to declare that Ben Affleck has achieved movie director greatness? Perhaps. But if he continues to churn out material like Gone Baby Gone and The Town, it won't be long and he'll be considered one of the best directors in Hollywood. This was a movie that had it's work cut out for it. I was expecting great things. Gone Baby Gone was my favorite movie from 2007, and although The Town does not quite reach it's status, it is still a very good film. It is clear from the outset that Affleck has his finger on the pulse of his characters in a way that allows him to steer the trajectory of the film in a direction that satisfies the viewer in almost every way. Few directors are able to achieve that kind of control, and still deliver. And the screenplay is exceptional. There are at least five characters in this film that are fleshed out, and so well developed that we actually care about what happens to them. It's hard enough for most directors to develop one or two characters to that extent. And the acting from all involved is very good, with one exceptional performance from Jeremy Renner. No doubt he'll be up for another Oscar nomination this year. Everything about this film is so good. The cinematography, the musical score, the editing...literally every aspect. It's interesting. Thirteen years ago when I saw Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in Good Will Hunting, I never dreamed Affleck would be the one who would emerge from that solid effort as the more talented one in any aspect. Damon has proved himself the better actor. I don't think too many people would argue against that point. However, Affleck has proved to be better behind the camera. And in the long run, I think that's where he'll prove to be the one who makes the bigger, longer-lasting impact.