Review: The Town

If Gigli was the worst thing to happen to Ben Affleck's career, then The Town is the best.

The Wire by way of Heat, Affleck's second directorial offering is an astonishing film, one that absolutely confirms him as one of the most exciting new Director's working today. Gone Baby Gone, by it's very premise required a subtle hand. Here Affleck gets a chance to show off a more dynamic skill set. When people talk about his career in years to come they will talk about The Town before they talk about Good Will Hunting.

The Town is set in Charleston, Boston. After the opening text introducing the neighbourhood and it's legacy of bank robbers we are treated to a blistering raid on one such bank, which culminates in the gang, lead by Doug MacRay (Affleck), taking the bank manager Clare Keesey as a temporary hostage. With the robbery a success, and Clare free to aid FBI agent Adam Frawley, Doug decides to tail her in an attempt to suss out how much she knows about her captors.

Comparing The Town to Heat may be a little generous. The Town is no where near as dense or grand as Michael Mann's classic, but the influence is there. For a second film Affleck shows a great deal of confidence, aside from some early use of CCTV footage there are no gimmicks used, just good old fashioned strong, clear direction.

In front of the camera Affleck plays Doug as the crook with a heart of gold, which in all honesty is a little disappointing. Doug is a man who is perpetually surrounded by violence, in fact he was born into it. Seeing him portrayed as such a stand up guy is a little too neat. Giving him a darker side would have added an interesting dynamic to his courtship with Clare. Having said that, Affleck plays him with an earnest sincerity and when it comes time for him to open up (both to Clare and his jailbird father) he manages to flesh out the character successfully. 


Supporting Affleck is an incredible cast of character actors. Veteran actors like Pete Posthlethwaite and Chris Cooper bring gravitas to spare with what are essentially extended cameos as Doug's boss and father respectively and Mad Men star John Hamm brings a great deal more to Agent Frawley than the script gives him.
But it's Jeremy Renner that really shines, cutting a fearsome figure as Doug's life long friend Jem Coughlin. The Pesci to Affleck's De Niro, Renner walks the line between repulsive and charismatic. Any darkness that Affleck lacks is more than made up for by Renner. Coughlin is greedy, angry and ruthless. As much a liability as an asset and it's his moments that really stand out.

Clocking in at two hours and five minutes The Town absolutely flies by, it's three main set pieces upping the ante at each turn. In fact it could have been longer. There is room here for more here, the focus on Doug and Clare's relationship means that other, just as interesting stories feel short changed. Maybe it's just the quality of the supporting actors work that made me want more. Again, maybe it was just Hamm's performance, but it feels like there was a bigger story intended  for Agent Frawly that didn't make it into the cut. 

The Town isn't going to leap to the top of anyone's list of crime films, but it is as solid and enjoyable a thriller as any. Affleck has been on the receiving end of some pretty harsh criticism in his career. After this, there won't be a cynic alive who won't be rooting for him to give us a hat-trick.