The Town (2010)

Director: Ben Affleck

Screenplay: Ben Affleck, Peter Craig, Aaron Stockard (based on the book by Chuck Hogan)

Cast: Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall

Music: David Buckley, Harry Gregson-Williams

Time: 124 minutes

Bottom-line: Renner’s performance stands out, in an otherwise average crime film

Welcome to the bank robbery capital of America.

Ben Affleck’s second directorial debut makes one thing quite clear: he is far better behind the camera than in front of it! This action drama has an ensemble cast, starring Jeremy Renner and Rebecca Hall in the lead, with Jon Hamm, Titus Welliver and Pete Postlethwaite (in his second last screen appearance before his death) in the supporting roles.

But I know I’ll see you again…this side or the other.

Hall as Claire, and Affleck as Doug

Charlestown: Four friends, Doug MacRay (Affleck), Jem Coughlin (Renner), Albert MacGloan (Slaine) and Desmond Elden (Owen Burke) rob a bank, and take the manager, Claire Keesey (Hall) hostage, and release her unharmed. It comes to Doug’s notice that Claire also lives in the neighbourhood, so he starts to follow her to ensure she hasn’t told much to the authorities, and in the process, gets emotionally attached to her. This is spotted by Jem, who is enraged at their relationship. Doug plans to start a new life, but is pressurised by Jem and his boss, Fergie (Postlethwaite), to rob Fenway Park. With his relationship with Claire going awry, and with his own life in danger, only a successful heist can save Doug now.

 

Renner as Jem

One blue-collar Boston neighbourhood has produced more bank robbers and armoured car thieves than anywhere in the world.

Like his previous directorial film – Gone Baby Gone – Affleck again focuses on the lives of the working class (and the fact that a lot of robbers actually live in Charlestown makes it all the more authentic); their relationships, family, work, and most importantly, friendships. Jem’s friendship with Doug is enough for him to consider the latter a brother, and this is one underlying concept that throttles the plot. The relationship between Claire and Doug is what jeopardises the gang of four, when Doug seems to have made up his mind to start afresh. Other minor themes like Doug’s family history, his past with the FBI all contribute to the story, with is interspersed with car chases and gun violence regularly to add to the action.

Postlethwaite as Fergie

Bank robbery became like a trade in Charlestown, passed down from father to son.

I, for one, felt the chases and gun violence a bit boring, in the sense that there was nothing new to it. What makes The Town a good movie is the drama that comes into play because of the characters and the location. The encounters between Doug, Jem and Claire over lunch is chillingly suspenseful. The talk between the cop Dino (Welliver), FBI Agent Frawley (Hamm) and Doug, the exchange between Jem and Doug when the latter calls it quits, and the climax when Claire reads out Doug’s letter are few scenes to highlight.

Affleck’s acting is, to some extent, bad. His lines are interesting (and throughout the film, there are a lot of catchy quotes), but I felt someone else could have portrayed the lead character better. Rebecca Hall’s acting was average as well. The star of the film is Jeremy Renner – the violent, belligerent member of the gang, who has zero tolerance for treason or betrayal. His character spent nine years in prison for a murder he committed for Doug’s sake. Renner was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Christian Bale in The Fighter. It is this acting that is the main reason I would recommend this film, unless of course, the regular dose of car chases and violence are what you are particularly looking for, in which case, The Town has loads of it.

My Rating: 3/5

Rotten Tomatoes rating: 94%