The Town. Doug MacRay is an unrepentant criminal, the de facto leader of a group of ruthless bank robbers who pride themselves in stealing what they want and getting out clean. With no real attachments, Doug never has to fear losing anyone close to him. But that all changed on the gang’s latest job, when they briefly took a hostage, bank manager. Though they let her go unharmed, she is nervously aware that the robbers know her name…and where she lives. But she lets her guard down when she meets an unassuming and charming man called Doug … not realising that he is the same man who only days earlier had terrorised her. The instant attraction between them gradually turns into a passionate romance that threatens to take them both down a dangerous path.
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"Affleck seems to have left his pretty boy blockbuster image behind him"
Ben Affleck certainly has had an up and down career and this is definitely one of his finer moments. He was truly incredible as Doug MacRay, and I've never seen him work his acting at such a high level. As far as the plot of the film goes, it's thoroughly engaging. The trailer doesn't do this film justice as it's ultimately very intense and romantic.
"The Town" is one of those crime dramas/bank-job action films that while not revelatory for the genre, executes everything well and sticks to a character-driven story in order to stay meaningful. Jeremy Renner was breathtaking as James 'Jem' Coughlin, playing the troubled and hardened career criminal and Blake Lively stunned me as Krista. I didn't think she had the skill to pull off such a character and she delivered in all of her scenes. Affleck seems to have left his pretty boy blockbuster image behind him. I'm thankful, I can only take so many Armageddon's or Pearl Harbors.
"The Town" also shows Affleck's ability at directing action sequences. Gone Baby Gone wasn't full of gunfights and car chases, but "The Town" is. There are three separate heists in the film, the opening, the middle section and the climactic ending. All three are different from each other, one is in a bank, the other a truck and finally a baseball stadium. Each sequence as thrilling as the next.
Overall, I was very impressed with "The Town", when I see a film is going to be two hours plus, I tend to worry, but I'm pleased to say, I didn't look at my watch once. It's certainly the best heist film I've seen in a while. I think this is the Heat (1996) of the decade. I believe that Affleck is in the peek of his career, this is his greatest performance, directing, writing and acting. The film is brutal yet it also rips right at your heart.