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In 2007, Ben Affleck made his directorial debut with the South Boston drama, Gone Baby Gone—a thought-provoking film that turned some heads and raised some eyebrows. It may not have been a flawless film, but it showed that the first-timer had some serious potential. Now, with his follow-up, The Town, Affleck shows that he has a pretty good chance of becoming a serious contender.
In The Town, Affleck returns to his beloved Boston—this time, to Charlestown, a neighborhood known for its high population of car thieves and bank robbers. In Charlestown, armed robbery is often a family business—one that’s passed down from generation to generation. That’s definitely the case for Doug MacRay (Affleck), a Townie who couldn’t help but follow in his father’s footsteps.
Lately, though, things have been getting out of hand. After Jim (Jeremy Renner), Doug’s old friend and partner in crime, takes a hostage during a bank heist, Doug starts questioning his career choices. And he becomes even more determined to leave it all behind after he starts falling in love with their traumatized victim, Claire (Rebecca Hall). But he quickly discovers that he can’t just walk away from The Town.
In his second feature, Affleck shows significant improvement—and that’s saying quite a bit, when you consider that his debut wasn’t all that bad. This time around, though, the filmmaking is much smoother—without the overabundance of choppy, extreme close-ups. The storytelling, too, has been evened out. The pacing is perfect, with just the right mix of intense action, breathtaking tension, and thoughtful drama. This isn’t just another cops-and-robbers thriller. Though it has its share of breakneck car chases and cat-and-mouse suspense, it also tells a memorable story about relationships, regrets, and resolve.
As with Affleck’s last Boston drama, the dialogue in The Town is often mumbled, with thick Boston accents that, while accurate, are almost unintelligible—but the cast is, for the most part, spectacular. Affleck holds his own in front of the camera—and, like his storytelling and the filmmaking, his performance, too, is smooth. In fact, it’s his best role in years. Doug is irresistibly charming, with a mischievous grin that would render any woman completely defenseless. But he’s also slick and street smart—which makes him the perfect match for Jon Hamm’s Adam Frawley, the cool and calculating FBI agent who’s determined to put Doug and his friends away for life. Both give stand-out performances—and their characters’ parallel personalities make for an entertaining battle of wits.
Though the film’s conclusion isn’t as unforgettable as Gone Baby Gone’s, The Town is still a film that will stay with you after you leave the theater. It’s also a film that will further develop Ben Affleck’s reputation as a talented up-and-coming director.
Blu-ray Review:
If you just can’t get enough of Ben Affleck’s The Town, you’ll find a whole lot more to enjoy on the film’s Blu-ray release.
The two-disc Blu-ray/DVD/digital edition includes both the theatrical release and the extended release—with a whopping 30 minutes of additional footage. When you’re watching the film, you have a whole bunch of options: theatrical or extended, with or without commentary. If you’re watching the extended version, you can choose to see the additional scene indicator that pops up to let you know that you’re watching extra footage. Or, if you’re watching the theatrical version, you can watch with 30 minutes of extra focus points.
If you prefer to save the extras for after you finish watching the movie, though, you can also access the six focus points from the special features menu, where you can easily pick and choose those that interest you. You can choose from making-of features exploring the locations, the stunts, and the planning—or you can learn more about Charlestown and its people.
Though The Town’s Blu-ray release may not be loaded with lengthy documentaries and other features, it gets it just right. You can choose to enjoy more of the movie, or you can find out just a little bit more about it.
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