The Town (2010)

This was the 1st film of Ben Affleck’s I’ve seen in theaters since I went to see one of his box office flops: 2003’s PAYCHECK. I haven’t seen his 1st directorial film: 2007’s GONE BABY GONE, but I did see his 2nd film 2010’s THE TOWN and I really enjoyed it. With Affleck as Director, co-screenplay writer, and co-starring, the film is based on a novel called “PRINCE OF THIEVES” by Chuck Hogan and it was produced by Graham King (The Departed). Set in Charlestown, Massachusetts, a team of professional bank robbers, led by long time criminal Douglas ‘Doug’ MacRay (Ben Affleck), rob a bank at gunpoint and take their manager Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall – Vicky Christina Barcelona) hostage. After letting her go, Doug begins to have feelings for Claire and is hesitant about his next heist: Boston’s very own Fenway Park, while FBI’s Special Agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm – TV’s Mad Men) is hell-bent on bringing him and crew to justice. The film also stars Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) as Doug’s edgy best friend and co-member of his team James ‘Jem’ Coughlin, Blake Lively (TV’s Gossip Girl) as Jem’s drug addicted younger sister and Doug’s ex-girlfriend Krista Coughlin, Pete Postlethwaite (The Lost World: Jurassic Park) as local florist and crime boss Fergus ‘Fergie’ Colm, Titus Welliver (Gone Baby Gone) as FBI Agent and Frawley’s partner Dino Ciampa, and a special appearance by Academy Award winner Chris Cooper (2002 – Best Supporting Actor, Adaptation) as Doug’s father Stephen MacRay. I really enjoyed the car chase sequences and how Affleck filmed it was incredible the way he shot it. I was also amazed how Affleck was able to film a shootout inside Fenway Park, being that he’s a diehard Boston Red Sox fan, which I think was one of greatest movie shootouts I’ve ever seen. Out of all the actors in this film, I thought Renner’s performance as Jem was the best since I saw him in his previous film The Hurt Locker. It made want to go to Boston even while I was watching this movie. Ben Affleck, who’s one of my favorite actors, directed a hell of a great movie and I consider THE TOWN one of my favorite films of his and one of the best movies of 2010. If like movies that have great action sequences, incredible drama, and amazing car chases, than you’ll want to see this film.