The Town [MA]

Doug MacRay is the leader of a group of ruthless criminals from the harsh city of Charlestown. Having successfully held up two banks and numerous trucks, Doug has never feared losing anyone close to him. But this changes when, during the gang’s latest bank job, they take a hostage that Doug becomes attracted to. Now, Doug is not certain of anything and, with the coppers, hot on the gang’s tail, will he take the risk or will he change his ways? 

What a beautiful movie! It used everything at its disposal and, although you’d usually associate a bank robbers’ movie with action and maybe a little bit of comedy, this is the only movie (that I can recall) where the two genres of action and drama work hand in hand. With all the action elements of a rollicking criminal gang’s movie, The Town was also a story of internal struggle, uncertainty, and changing the direction of one’s life. It was really very moving. 

Doug MacRay is the leader of a group of ruthless criminals from the harsh city of Charlestown. Having successfully held up two banks and numerous trucks, Doug has never feared losing someone close to him. But that changes when, during their latest bank job, the gang takes a hostage; a woman who Doug becomes strongly attracted to. Now, Doug is not certain of anything and, with the coppers hot on the gang’s tail, will Doug take the risk or will he change his ways? 

It must now be said that Ben Affleck is nothing short of genius, a genuine talent in more than one field of filmmaking. He not only starred in the film, but he also wrote the screenplay and directed it as well! My hat goes off to him. The Town was a beautifully crafted film that used everything at its disposal. From the brilliant aerial shots of the epic car chases that gives the film that rollicking action feel to the breathtaking and deeply emotional music that plays during those more dramatic and emotional scenes, this movie had everything right and it was hugely successful in both exhilarating and deeply moving its audience. It’s marvellous. 

As I mentioned before, Ben Affleck stars as Doug and he was amazing. He gave a performance that was deeply moving, charming, aggressive, conflicted, and you could not help but fall in love with him. I’m literally still sighing heavily. 

With absolute knockout performances from Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall Jon Hamm, Blake Lively, Chris Cooper, and Pete Postlethwaite, The Town was both a moving and a rollicking movie that I absolutely loved. Filled with action, romance, car chases, explosions, crime, friendships, and beautiful music, it was a really wonderful film, an absolute treat from start to finish.