Ben Affleck...Director
--Cast--
Ben Affleck as Doug McRay
Jon Hamm as Adam Fawley
Rebecca Hall as Claire Keesey
Jeremy Renner as James "Jem" Coughlin
//Review
The first scene rocks like an explosion, a hard punch to the gut and the chase begins. There’s poetry in the film, too. Filled with splendid visuals from Ben Affleck’s wonderful direction; a scene of gentle gliding footsteps toward a body of water comes to mind. The framing in the film is positively exquisite.
Doug MacRay’s (Ben Affleck) only obsession lies in finding a meaningful future for himself. MacRay wants to leave Charlestown, a city that means living there is surviving it. The story is riddled with conversations about moving toward a greater future; a clear and definite meaning in life, sought by a man desperately in need of an escape from his birth place. It’s about the American dream and MacRay wants his piece.
Comparisons to Michael Mann’s “Heat” are inevitable. Like “Heat,” “The Town” is a film about a team of expert thieves intent on pulling off large-scale heists. Yet, the two films differ considerably in tone and character development. This isn’t Mann’s “Heat” and having an expectation for the film to mirror “Heat” would render enjoyment of Affleck’s “The Town” to mediocre levels. “The Town” is far more romantic than “Heat” ever had been. The relationship between MacRay and his lover Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall) seem innocent and honest, at times, almost naïve. The love is so pure that by the end of the picture, it comes as a shock when the couple doesn’t produce an offspring and give their daughter a hyphenated last name.
Affleck’s MacRay is confident without the lingering aftertaste of jackass. He’s appealing because he’s straightforward and decent. He isn’t looking to hurt others. He just wants to steal money. Presumably this is all in an effort to develop financial means to escape his home town. We get to see MacRay at his best in the company of his lover Keesey, at his worst when dealing with the criminal world. He’s a man first before being a criminal. He plays by a set of rules, structured and intent on redeeming himself from a life he never chose.
MacRay’s motives are always known to the audience, he virtually lacks duality because his morality is consistent as a man and as a thief. Films like “Scarface,” “Godfather” and “Good Fellas” feature protagonists that happen to be villains. But aside from his vigilantism in robbing banks, MacRay doesn’t exhibit corrupted morality or an appreciation for outright violence. He’s a pacifist but isn’t afraid of pulling the trigger when antagonized or hurt by the conditions forced unto him.
Putting the pressure on MacRay is FBI agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm) who represents the upper class world MacRay desperately combats with. What “The Town” cleverly reveals is that Charlestown isn’t simply an American city but a metaphor for social boundary. Not only does Frawley represents the successful Irish-American man connected with the larger world, he also represents an entire social class that wants to prevent MacRay’s integration with it. The American dream MacRay desperately attaches himself to doesn’t want him because he’s not good enough.
How can MacRay leave Charlestown if the world won’t accept him?
MacRay’s right hand man, James Coughlin (Jeremy Renner) is pure violence. Though standing nearly a foot shorter than MacRay, Coughlin is much more intimidating. He beats people with the butt of guns, stares holes through bullet proof vests and walks with the biggest on screen swagger since Humphrey Bogart. He’s brash and unpredictable with his demeanor. And when Coughlin discusses loyalty to family and friendship, it surprises the audience because his crude actions contradicts his internal beliefs.
He believes that there is good, though he himself might never be that light of morality. The character is creatively written and fully realized through Renner’s incredible portrayal of this conflicted man.
The action sequences are expertly shot and choreographed. The realism to the violence is refreshing, the car chase in the film feels potent and raw. “The Town” delivers in hard hitting action, easily attributed to Affleck’s instincts as a director coupled with his wonderful sense of motion.
Affleck’s previous directorial effort came in “Gone Baby Gone.” With “The Town,” Affleck solidifies a second career as a director. Though he is a great performer, as exhibited in the film, Affleck can quit acting and make a living as a director. It’s that well shot.
“The Town” is a vivid portrayal of the earnest American dream, the desire to have more and live happily. It’s about moving from one socio-economic order to another one. It’s about class barriers and heritage, and above all else, it’s a great film.
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