Written by: Corey Wackel
Ben Affleck’s career in film has been something of a rollercoaster ride....
He burst onto the scene in a major way when he, and friend Matt Damon, wrote and starred in the 1997 film “Good Will Hunting.” After an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, Affleck became a household name through films such as “Armageddon” and “Pearl Harbor.” Affleck seemed to glide through most of his roles, rarely ever delivering a good performance. Fast forward several years, and in 2003, his acting career seemed to come to a quick halt with “Gigli,” a critical and financial failure. In 2006, Affleck impressed many when he starred in “Hollywoodland,” winning Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival and garnering a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. By 2007, Affleck seemed to be making a comeback, and in that year he shocked everyone when he announced he was writing and directing an adaptation of the Dennis Lehane novel “Gone Baby Gone.” Amidst skepticism, Affleck released the film in September of 2007 at the Deauville Film Festival. When the film was released nationwide in October of that year, the film received widespread critical acclaim. Affleck went on to win Best Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review, and the film’s breakout star, Amy Ryan, went on to capture a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination after being nominated for nearly every award that year. After all that, we arrive at the point in Affleck’s career where many were asking whether the success of “Gone Baby Gone” was a fluke.
His new film, “The Town,” which Affleck directed, co-wrote, and stars in, answers that question with a resounding no.
“The Town” is as much a cinematic masterpiece as it is a homage to the city in which it is set. It tells the story of four friends who happen to rob banks in Charlestown, an area outside Boston where up to 70 bank robberies occur in a year. The films states that Charlestown is the world's capital for carjacking, kidnappings, and armed robberies, and it opens on one of the boys’ “jobs,” but unlike most jobs a bank manager is taken from the scene; a female employee, named Claire, who the group thinks should be checked on to make sure she doesn’t go to any authority figures. Affleck plays Douglas MacRay, the leader of the operation and the person who develops a relationship with the woman. While MacRay develops a relationship with her, an eager FBI agent is quickly trying to find the individuals responsible for the bank robbery. He suspects that MacRay and his associates may be behind it, partly because MacRay’s father is in jail for a run in with the law. As MacRay’s relationship with Claire continues to progress he knows that he needs to find a way out, although he’s not quite sure how to break it to the group, especially his childhood friend, James Coughlin. As the FBI closes in on MacRay and his men, he has to decide how important his newly developed relationship really is.
“The Town” is adapted from the novel “Prince of Thieves” by Craig Hogan, and while I have no idea what the book is like, I do know that the film succeeds on every level. That’s a large testament to Affleck’s talents as a filmmaker. As I said, he directs, writes, and stars in the film so he’s responsible for the largest part. Audiences know he can write and direct, so my first concern upon hearing about this project was whether Affleck could direct himself. In “Gone Baby Gone,” he chose to cast his brother, Casey Affleck, in the lead role, and up until “The Town,” Ben had never had acting and directing credit on the same film. As a director, Affleck knows just exactly how the pace the film and knows where to but an action sequence or a dramatic one. As an actor, he delivers his finest performance to date. He portrays MacRay as a dangerous criminal, but also as an individual who is haunted by past occurrences in his life. Not only is his father in jail, but we learn by the end of the film why his mother was never around. MacRay comes across as a complicated individual, someone who simply wants to redirect his life onto a more rewarding path. We root for him, even as a criminal, because we know the many facets of his character.
The rest of the cast comes together to form an impressive ensemble, and it’s evident that Affleck really knows what he’s doing with his actors. Jeremy Renner, fresh off of an Oscar nomination for “The Hurt Locker” is great as the childhood friend. He’s a rather sinister individual, and we’re never really expected to know if he’s in full control of his actions; Renner plays this masterfully. Rebecca Hall plays Claire as someone who’s willing to move past a traumatic event to make the most of her life. I’ve always been a fan of Hall, but up until this points she’s only been given small roles in films such as “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and “Frost/Nixon.” In “The Town,” Hall is able to create a character that is fully fleshed out. Some of that could be the writing, but it takes a gifted actress like Hall to make Claire as complex as she is. She plays Claire as a funny, sexy woman who seems, at times, to be the moral center of the film. Pete Postlethwaite gives an unnerving performance as the man behind all the operations, and the great Chris Cooper shows up and does more with five minutes than any actor could ever imagine of doing.As the FBI agent, Jon Hamm delivers and shows that he has what it takes to be great presence in film. Perhaps the most surprising thing about "The Town" is the performance from Blake Lively, who shows us that with the right script, director, and ensemble of actors she's fully capable of delivering a compelling performance.
As I said before, “The Town” is really about the people that live day in and day out in the real Charlestown. Affleck, a Boston native, really spent time on making the film authentic. The town is beautifully captured on film, and I can only imagine that some of the extras were everyday people who lived in the area and have seen firsthand some of the instances that are portrayed in the film. More than that, though, the film takes this Massachusetts town and fills it with people that deal with things that we all have to deal with in our lives. It dares us to accept these characters, perhaps because some of them, in one way or another, are not very far from the individuals we strive to be.
Final Comment: “The Town” proves that Ben Affleck is a born director and that he can deliver a truly great performance when he becomes passionate about a project. The film is the best of the year so far, and is the best heist movie in some time.
Rating: (9/10)
Written by: Tim Luisi
Films don’t always have to have something important to say; sometimes they just need to knock you to the floor.
The Town, Ben Affleck’s second directorial effort, while not a perfect film, does just that, delivering some of the greatest thrills and most exhilarating action of 2010.
The film, which looks at a group of four bank robbers in Charlestown, Massachusetts, excels on multiple levels. This is a top-notch thriller, with each robbery attempt building energy upon energy until the final sequence, where the intensity nearly explodes off of the screen. The suspense is palpable as each gunshot whizzes by and it is nearly impossible to imagine how the scene, easily one of the most exciting of the year, will end.
More than just being an effective action film, however, this also succeeds as an excellent character drama. The relationship between Affleck (who stars in addition to directing) and Rebecca Hall (whose character is taken hostage early on in the film by the robbers) is surprisingly believable and touching. Where cliché could have taken over or where sappiness could have overwhelmed the film, instead there seems to be authentic character interactions, an aspect of film that is too often pushed aside.
These moments lend themselves to a treasure chest of great performances. Affleck is better here than he perhaps has ever been before while Hall, who has been great in the past, also gives a career best turn. While the gunfights are in all likelihood going to be what people are talking about as they leave the theater, in many ways Hall is the heart of this film. Each breakdown that is called for, she absolutely crushes, showing an amazing woman slowly turning to a heap of exhaustion and fear.
Also great are Jeremy Renner who gives a whole new meaning to the word crazy as Affleck’s best friend, Jon Hamm who is hilarious as the FBI agent tracking the robbers down, and Blake Lively, who while given a short amount of screen time manages to make herself stand out amongst an awesome ensemble.
The film as mentioned before is not perfect. The pacing is a little sporadic, for one thing, at times producing a film that seems to constantly be taking off and then quickly hitting the breaks. Also irritating are a few cheesy elements that the film contains, such as a by the numbers score and an ending that could have used some refining.
None of these minor concerns, however, are enough to take away from a fantastic whole. Ben Affleck has now shown that his first film, Gone Baby Gone, was no fluke and that he certainly will be someone to watch as the years continue.
Rating- 8/10
Ben Affleck’s career in film has been something of a rollercoaster ride....
He burst onto the scene in a major way when he, and friend Matt Damon, wrote and starred in the 1997 film “Good Will Hunting.” After an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, Affleck became a household name through films such as “Armageddon” and “Pearl Harbor.” Affleck seemed to glide through most of his roles, rarely ever delivering a good performance. Fast forward several years, and in 2003, his acting career seemed to come to a quick halt with “Gigli,” a critical and financial failure. In 2006, Affleck impressed many when he starred in “Hollywoodland,” winning Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival and garnering a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. By 2007, Affleck seemed to be making a comeback, and in that year he shocked everyone when he announced he was writing and directing an adaptation of the Dennis Lehane novel “Gone Baby Gone.” Amidst skepticism, Affleck released the film in September of 2007 at the Deauville Film Festival. When the film was released nationwide in October of that year, the film received widespread critical acclaim. Affleck went on to win Best Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review, and the film’s breakout star, Amy Ryan, went on to capture a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination after being nominated for nearly every award that year. After all that, we arrive at the point in Affleck’s career where many were asking whether the success of “Gone Baby Gone” was a fluke.
His new film, “The Town,” which Affleck directed, co-wrote, and stars in, answers that question with a resounding no.
“The Town” is as much a cinematic masterpiece as it is a homage to the city in which it is set. It tells the story of four friends who happen to rob banks in Charlestown, an area outside Boston where up to 70 bank robberies occur in a year. The films states that Charlestown is the world's capital for carjacking, kidnappings, and armed robberies, and it opens on one of the boys’ “jobs,” but unlike most jobs a bank manager is taken from the scene; a female employee, named Claire, who the group thinks should be checked on to make sure she doesn’t go to any authority figures. Affleck plays Douglas MacRay, the leader of the operation and the person who develops a relationship with the woman. While MacRay develops a relationship with her, an eager FBI agent is quickly trying to find the individuals responsible for the bank robbery. He suspects that MacRay and his associates may be behind it, partly because MacRay’s father is in jail for a run in with the law. As MacRay’s relationship with Claire continues to progress he knows that he needs to find a way out, although he’s not quite sure how to break it to the group, especially his childhood friend, James Coughlin. As the FBI closes in on MacRay and his men, he has to decide how important his newly developed relationship really is.
“The Town” is adapted from the novel “Prince of Thieves” by Craig Hogan, and while I have no idea what the book is like, I do know that the film succeeds on every level. That’s a large testament to Affleck’s talents as a filmmaker. As I said, he directs, writes, and stars in the film so he’s responsible for the largest part. Audiences know he can write and direct, so my first concern upon hearing about this project was whether Affleck could direct himself. In “Gone Baby Gone,” he chose to cast his brother, Casey Affleck, in the lead role, and up until “The Town,” Ben had never had acting and directing credit on the same film. As a director, Affleck knows just exactly how the pace the film and knows where to but an action sequence or a dramatic one. As an actor, he delivers his finest performance to date. He portrays MacRay as a dangerous criminal, but also as an individual who is haunted by past occurrences in his life. Not only is his father in jail, but we learn by the end of the film why his mother was never around. MacRay comes across as a complicated individual, someone who simply wants to redirect his life onto a more rewarding path. We root for him, even as a criminal, because we know the many facets of his character.
The rest of the cast comes together to form an impressive ensemble, and it’s evident that Affleck really knows what he’s doing with his actors. Jeremy Renner, fresh off of an Oscar nomination for “The Hurt Locker” is great as the childhood friend. He’s a rather sinister individual, and we’re never really expected to know if he’s in full control of his actions; Renner plays this masterfully. Rebecca Hall plays Claire as someone who’s willing to move past a traumatic event to make the most of her life. I’ve always been a fan of Hall, but up until this points she’s only been given small roles in films such as “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and “Frost/Nixon.” In “The Town,” Hall is able to create a character that is fully fleshed out. Some of that could be the writing, but it takes a gifted actress like Hall to make Claire as complex as she is. She plays Claire as a funny, sexy woman who seems, at times, to be the moral center of the film. Pete Postlethwaite gives an unnerving performance as the man behind all the operations, and the great Chris Cooper shows up and does more with five minutes than any actor could ever imagine of doing.As the FBI agent, Jon Hamm delivers and shows that he has what it takes to be great presence in film. Perhaps the most surprising thing about "The Town" is the performance from Blake Lively, who shows us that with the right script, director, and ensemble of actors she's fully capable of delivering a compelling performance.
As I said before, “The Town” is really about the people that live day in and day out in the real Charlestown. Affleck, a Boston native, really spent time on making the film authentic. The town is beautifully captured on film, and I can only imagine that some of the extras were everyday people who lived in the area and have seen firsthand some of the instances that are portrayed in the film. More than that, though, the film takes this Massachusetts town and fills it with people that deal with things that we all have to deal with in our lives. It dares us to accept these characters, perhaps because some of them, in one way or another, are not very far from the individuals we strive to be.
Final Comment: “The Town” proves that Ben Affleck is a born director and that he can deliver a truly great performance when he becomes passionate about a project. The film is the best of the year so far, and is the best heist movie in some time.
Rating: (9/10)
Written by: Tim Luisi
Films don’t always have to have something important to say; sometimes they just need to knock you to the floor.
The Town, Ben Affleck’s second directorial effort, while not a perfect film, does just that, delivering some of the greatest thrills and most exhilarating action of 2010.
The film, which looks at a group of four bank robbers in Charlestown, Massachusetts, excels on multiple levels. This is a top-notch thriller, with each robbery attempt building energy upon energy until the final sequence, where the intensity nearly explodes off of the screen. The suspense is palpable as each gunshot whizzes by and it is nearly impossible to imagine how the scene, easily one of the most exciting of the year, will end.
More than just being an effective action film, however, this also succeeds as an excellent character drama. The relationship between Affleck (who stars in addition to directing) and Rebecca Hall (whose character is taken hostage early on in the film by the robbers) is surprisingly believable and touching. Where cliché could have taken over or where sappiness could have overwhelmed the film, instead there seems to be authentic character interactions, an aspect of film that is too often pushed aside.
These moments lend themselves to a treasure chest of great performances. Affleck is better here than he perhaps has ever been before while Hall, who has been great in the past, also gives a career best turn. While the gunfights are in all likelihood going to be what people are talking about as they leave the theater, in many ways Hall is the heart of this film. Each breakdown that is called for, she absolutely crushes, showing an amazing woman slowly turning to a heap of exhaustion and fear.
Also great are Jeremy Renner who gives a whole new meaning to the word crazy as Affleck’s best friend, Jon Hamm who is hilarious as the FBI agent tracking the robbers down, and Blake Lively, who while given a short amount of screen time manages to make herself stand out amongst an awesome ensemble.
The film as mentioned before is not perfect. The pacing is a little sporadic, for one thing, at times producing a film that seems to constantly be taking off and then quickly hitting the breaks. Also irritating are a few cheesy elements that the film contains, such as a by the numbers score and an ending that could have used some refining.
None of these minor concerns, however, are enough to take away from a fantastic whole. Ben Affleck has now shown that his first film, Gone Baby Gone, was no fluke and that he certainly will be someone to watch as the years continue.
Rating- 8/10