Ben Affleck has experienced a creative rebirth lately with his new interest in directing efforts and supporting character roles. Returning to Boston after his directorial debut GONE BABY GONE, THE TOWN is Affleck's new complete headliner, a showcase of him as an actor and auteur. Directing, co-writing, and the main actor of the film, Affleck could have faltered heavily but instead made a compelling crime thriller that basks with great performances but generic plotting.
Ben Affleck is Doug MacRay. Affleck, unlike his previous star attractions, does a reasonable job blending into the fabric of reality instead of a distraction. Doug is the mastermind of a robbing crew from Boston's pariah neighbor Charlestown. Their latest bank job results in an unwanted hostage of one of the employees, played expertly by Rebecca Hall. Choosing to hover over her after letting her go to stave off a possible execution, Doug falls for the battered but still optimistic woman. The crimes and the melodrama then follow the usual straight path as archetypes show up in line such as the last job, angry best friend, ruthless police, and the easy to manipulate mole.
Though a harsh statement on the story, the fault largely seems to lie on the film being an adaptation of a crime boiler book by Chuck Hogan. Affleck and his co-writers build beyond a simple skeleton with exceptional acting performances, thrilling action scenes, and a very surprisingly use of humor and heart. Characters behave rationally and normal compared to those showcased in Michael Mann's films. Unlike Mann, who implements no control or restraint in the acting, Affleck does to a great degree thanks in part to his acting background. Though he tries to reach Mann's excellent level of urban action, Affleck's direction seems to do better with suspense and subtle clues. This is easily seen in a scene when an unplanned meeting of three characters is greatly hampered not just by an entrance of one of them but by his tattoo.
While the main actors' abilities is substantial, it is the supporting players that greatly make the film a display of acting talent. Jeremy Renner takes the role of Doug's best bud Jem but treats the character's anger as small tremors for a bigger earthquake. He enhances the brotherly love emotions his character has for Doug more often. Jem wants to protect Doug and shape a perfect family but the rebukes and scorn given to him combined with his fatalistic viewpoint eats him inside. Jon Hamm's role as FBI agent is a plethora of cynicism and human acid. Hamm rips up the scenery in a low tone as his vicious ego-driven agent hunts after Doug's crew. His sadist glances sees men as creatures to be punished thoroughly and women as pawns to be constantly abused. In a stunning breakthrough performance, Blake Lively redeems any hatred I have had for her previous work as Jem's criminal sister. With only five scenes but an important role, Lively pulls out an extra amount of grittiness and sadness to the picture. Chris Cooper and Pete Postlethwaite also do well in smaller roles.
Though I said Affleck builds up from the generic crime structure, some elements are quite embarrassing to behold. A sequence where Affleck treats his insomnia with bare shirted exercises and a trip to a community meeting is pretentious and seems to be included as a make-up excuse for Charlestown's portrayal. Still, the entertaining direction and acting performances do well in trying to gloss over these judgment errors. THE TOWN is one of the better crime films recently released, even, in my opinion, better than THE DEPARTED and its spirited father HEAT. It has a high overall quality in all of its departments despite some glaring flaws. Like Doug's crew on a job, the planning isn't perfect but flexibility can save their lives.
FINAL REVIEW: 4 / 5
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