Ben Affleck Salvages Reputation with "The Town"

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon won Oscars for "Good Will Hunting" ages ago, and after that, Mr. Affleck's career was a pretty painful ride down hill, e.g., "Gigli." Indeed, one could mock the Academy by noting that he won an Oscar, and Peter O'Toole had not (until the latter's Lifetime Achievement prize). However in his latest work as both leading man and director, "The Town" has given him back the credibility as an artist that he used to have.

The film is based on Chuck Hogan's crime novel Prince of Thieves, and it is set in the Charlestown area of Greater Boston. Ty Burr of the Boston Globe opined in his review that "The Town" takes place in "Movie Boston rather than the real thing. Movie Boston is a sub-Scorsese landscape of stubbled men walking down mean Suffolk County streets that exist primarily in the minds of good pulp novelists and bad screenwriters, and its authenticity depends far too much on Hollywood actors trying hahd to bend their dialogue around non-rhotic speech patterns." Having seen real Boston, the artistic license involved should provide the city's fathers with a blue print for massive urban renewal.

That is not a gratuitous shot at one of America's most appalling cities but rather an acknowledgement that Director Affleck has found a way to make the set a star. His eye is sharp, his use of camera effects excellent, and his filming of the narrow streets creates a vital sense of claustrophobia during the chases.

The human bits of the film pan out quite well, too. In addition to a workman-like performance from Mr. Affleck as Doug MacRay the bank robber, Rebecca Hall ("Frost/Nixon." "Vicky, Christina, Barcelona") turns in a refined performance as his love-interest and hostage Claire Keesey. Blake Lively as Krista Coughlin, MacRay's ex, plays a pathetic character with no small nuance. Jon Hamm of "Mad Men" fame is the FBI agent and who manages not to be Dan Draper from his hit series, tempting though it might have been. British character actor Peter Postlethwaite ("Usual Suspects" and the remake of "The Omen") as Fergus 'Fergie' Colm is wonderful as an Irish mob don posing as a florist. The show, though, is stolen by supporting actor Jeremy Renner ("Hurt Locker") as James "Jem" Coughlin, MacRay's brother from another mother -- his role is the most likely of the bunch to get Oscar's approval.

What is most interesting about the film, though, is Mr. Affleck's transition from his J-Lo days as a celebrity who appeared in movies to something resembling a cinematic artist. The temptation to compare him to Clint Eastwood is certainly there. A couple films like "The Town," and the comparison might be apt.

© Copyright 2010 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.

Kensington Review Home