The Town (on DVD)

THE TOWN (2010)

directed by Ben Affleck

[director filmography: Gone Baby Gone (2007)]

written for the screen by Peter Craig [writing debut], Ben Affleck [Academy Award winning co-writer of Good Will Hunting (1997), and Gone Baby Gone (2007)], and Aaron Stockard [Gone Baby Gone (2007)]

based on the novel The Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan  

starring Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall [Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)], Jeremy Renner [The Hurt Locker (2009)], Jon Hamm [Don Draper on "Mad Men" (2007-2010)], and Chris Cooper [Adaptation. (2002), American Beauty (1999)] 

ENJOYMENT: ***** (out of 5)

"One of the top films in its genre, and second favorite film of the year."  

     The Town received enormous critical claim, and surprised a lot of its viewers with an astonishing follow-up to Ben Affleck's directorial debut three years earlier, Gone Baby Gone.  Now, I have told a lot of people about my love and admiration for this movie, both as an acheivement for the cast, and Ben Affleck, but also for being a contender as one of the great action films.  The Town is on par with Heat as far as ruthless violence and action goes, as well as the creativity of its high tension heist and car chase scenes.  Then, it has an element of Shawshank Redemption, or Bonnie and Clyde, as you begin to root for the ruthless killers falling in love, and doing all that "movie stuff".  All in all, The Town is definitely worth seeing.  If you loved The Departed, if you loved Gone Baby Gone, or if you just love high tension, action-filled, bloody, creative, great acting, movies that are filmed in Boston.