Let's face it, Ben Affleck has had it sorta rough. Derided for his good lucks and for not being quite the superstar like hishomeboy Matt Damon, Affleck has suffered criticism after criticism. He's always been a solid actor, whether people wanted to give him credit for it or not. His problem has been poor choices. Whether it was that whole J-Lo Gigli
disaster, or junk like Surviving Christmas
, he's shot himself in the foot plenty of times. Around 2006, when Affleck starred in the underappreciated biopic, Hollywoodland
, I noticed a change. No longer was he appearing in these fluffy flicks trying to look and act like a star. He was letting his ability do the work. He was getting back into just being an actor again. In 2007 Affleck put his hometown of Boston on the criminal map with his triumphant directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone. He returns to those mean streets in his equally mesmerizing follow-up, The Town.
disaster, or junk like Surviving Christmas, he's shot himself in the foot plenty of times. Around 2006, when Affleck starred in the underappreciated biopic, Hollywoodland, I noticed a change. No longer was he appearing in these fluffy flicks trying to look and act like a star. He was letting his ability do the work. He was getting back into just being an actor again. In 2007 Affleck put his hometown of Boston on the criminal map with his triumphant directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone. He returns to those mean streets in his equally mesmerizing follow-up, The Town.Affleck brings the full force of his charisma to bear as Doug Mackray, the brains behind a violent crew of bank robbers in crime infested Charlestown, Massachusetts. Their thuggish, street level appearance is the perfect cover for the precision of their attacks, a combination of ingenuity and aggression that has left the cops clueless. His right hand man is his childhood best friend, Jem Couglin(Jeremy Renner), a pent up powder keg with a chip firmly planted on his shoulder. In the film's blistering opening moments, Doug and his skeleton masked crew in the midst of another well-practiced heist. The threat of violence is enough to keep most under their thrall, and all seems to be going as usual. That is until Doug lays eyes on terrified bank manager, Claire(Rebecca Hall), and is instantly smitten. Taken captive, Claire is eventually released, terrorized but physically unharmed. Jem isn't quite so sure they should've kept her alive as a potential witness, but Doug steps in and volunteers to find out if she can identify them. Rather than questioning her, he insinuates himself into her life, forging a tenuous relationship built on secrets.
Claire becomes Doug's ray of hope. His shot at finally getting out of the bloody world of cops and robbers. It's not so simple, as Doug has backers who are counting on his team for one more major heist. If Doug doesn't pull it off, Claire could be killed. He's being pursued by a dogged, determined cop(Mad Men's Jon Hamm) who's finally gotten their scent. His embittered father(Chris Cooper), is locked away for life and has no answers to give. Jem is falling apart at the seams and threatening to kill everyone he comes in contact with. Not good considering Doug has a child with Jem's drugged out sister, Krista(Blake Lively). In a world full of crap, Claire is his only real chance at escape, and if she finds out he was behind the most traumatic experience of her life, that could all fall apart as well. Doug's life is one great highwire act.
It's easy to forget, but Affleck has won an Oscar for screenwriting in the past, and his gift for capturing natural words on the page is in full display. Everything about The Town is completely authentic. He gets what Boston is all about, moreso than Scorsese ever came close to in The Departed. He gets the mood of the people, the hopelessness right around the corner. He understands it. We're treated to what is basically a familiar premise, that of a criminal making "one last heist" before riding off into the sunset. There have been a number of these flicks in the last few months, yet The Town stands completely on it's own, and that has more to do with the pace and the natural flow of the storytelling. Every moment is intense, whether it's one of the many amazing car chases through the cramped alleyways, or when Doug and Claire are sharing a few anxious moments together. Some of the actions of the police force could be considered illogical, and the conclusion seems a bit pieced together and rushed.
Affleck has gathered together a supporting cast that rounds pulls it all together perfectly. Perhaps no other actor can steal a single scene the way Chris Cooper can. As Doug's father, an old lion trapped in a cage with no hope for freedom and younger prisoners snapping at his heels, he could be up for a supporting actor nomination in a few months. Renner, who has been Hollywood's "It" guy since The Hurt Locker, gives a menacing and feral performance. Even Blake Lively shows a range I've not seen from her in a feature film until now. My only gripe is with Rebecca Hall, although my complaint has more to do with her character. She's just a little too saintly and perfect. A more real, slightly flawed love interest would have been a better fit in a film that is staggeringly genuine in every other aspect.
Two films in and Ben Affleck has already established himself as one of the top directors working today. Chances are he'll move on to other projects taking place in other cities, but his heart and soul will forever be in Boston. Let's hope that he doesn't move too far away from his roots, because we desperately need more intense, perceptive crime dramas like The Town. There can never be enough.
