At the Theater -- The Town -- Ben Affleck has found his true calling as a film Director and one helluva second wind as an actor. The film is a lean, straightforward, genuinely involving tale of robbers and cops without any distracting gimmicks to speak of.
There’s an undeniable sense of impending doom that remains true to the setting and subject matter- the film manages to balance the seriousness of the situation with several subtle, timely touches of humor (all of which actually work) that seem missing from most of the self-serious drama/thrillers made today.
The movie features one of the better cinematic gun battles and an exciting but entirely believable car chase. It’s all filmed and edited with remarkable restraint, with no apparent CGI and very little shaky cam to speak of- viewers are able to watch everything unfold without scratching their heads.
The cast is solid throughout- as mentioned above, Affleck has never been better. Rebecca Hall is a new face to me but may have given the best performance here. John Hamm (from AMC’s Mad Men) displays a presence that will ensure many quality leading roles to come. Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) continues to burn brightly as a live-wire and Blake Lively channels her inner trash quite expertly.
For those who enjoyed Heat and The Departed. Highly Recommended.
8.5 outta 10
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