Fierce entertainment. In a leap career improvement, Ben Affleck turns in a sturdier and shrewder lead performance than his usual. Affleck as director makes head-banging efforts to make the bank robberies in The Town different from other larcenies we’ve seen, and he makes Boston his own degenerate cesspool. Double-crosses, twists, the binds (and snaps) of loyalty exceed expectations – it is more than a one-note crime movie. A few warts keeps the movie from becoming a total triumph. But all the familiar elements of robbery movies are ecstatically amped up dispensing regularly satisfying thrills.
This is an actor’s showcase. Affleck feels (Boston) rooted in his part as bank robber Doug MacRay, Jeremy Renner is Jem, his hothead cohort ready to unload his weapon on innocent people if need-be, Blake Lively is the trashy and easy girl, Pete Postlethwaite is the florist who moonlights as the crime architect, Chris Cooper is the dad in a one-scene showstopper, and Jon Hamm is the dilligent FBI man who enjoys nabbing scumbags.
Hamm is the only refined character of the film. This is a fresh career move for the actor known, with raves, for the award-winning TV series “Mad Men.” Hamm is a stiff, straight-arrow lawman, but while stiff sounds like a criticism, it should serve more as a compliment. He is rugged enough for the field, but a stiff no-nonsense interrogator. He even gets a few scenes with the ladies. But he is dealing at the core these Boston bad boys led by Affleck and Renner. These are the kind of hardened guys who will get themselves into a brutal street scrimmage just to retain self-respect.
The script has one shameless, far-fetched stretch: Rebecca Hall (just fine), as Claire, is abducted by the guys during the first robbery of the film, and when the guys learn of her Charlestown residence from her driver’s license (which is their hometown) they want to surveillance her. Only that during the tailing, Doug runs into a consoling dialogue with her, and within a few scenes, falls for her. Once you suspend your disbelief with this development, you can accept the rest of the story.
Of course, Jem doesn’t like Doug’s involvement with Claire one bit. He is ready to rub her out if any corroborating evidence spills to the FBI. Claire is the first normal, non-trashy, non-bad girl and dignified romantic relationship in his life. Doug, of course, doesn't want to be slummin' all his life and Claire represents, err, a new flowering. Doug continues to set up and execute robberies while lying to Claire about his extracurricular activities. Will Claire ever find out that she is going with a man who held her at gunpoint? Claire finding out his real identity is inevitable, whether it be real life or just Hollywood plot mechanics. “I was never going to hurt you,” he confesses.
The guys start taking swings at each other and the grudges turn into suspicions about who will sell out whom. Doug wants out of the business but the livelihood of others becomes threatened so he has to stick with it. This leads to the final big score robbery, a set piece assembled with bravado. The ads promised robbers in nun masks, but the costumes vary each time, and better yet, what also varies is how much tougher these guys get on the bystanders. The final shootout is a real viciously charged street battle, although, one wishes that guys with double-barrel shotguns didn’t miss from ten feet away.
The camerawork bursts with energy during the big action scenes sprawling over a lot of spontaneous, anything-can-happen territory. The film ends on a satisfying, more than half believable note. Affleck is so good that he nearly gets to forget his career garbage like “Pearl Harbor” and “Daredevil.” He is also becoming a real legitimate director coming off the heels of his debut “Gone Baby Gone.” Maybe the permanent 5 o’clock shadow is working for him, or his Nike leather jacket is working for him (street cred!). Renner also deserves props for injecting sleaze and a violent mean streak into his wild card character. On a double bill, “The Town” should be the opening act and “The Departed” should be the main event.
Go to the official site at http://thetownmovie.warnerbros.com/
Grade: B+
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