Actor-turned-director Ben Affleck follows up Gone, Baby, Gone with heist movie The Town.
But can it bring anything new to an already familiar genre?
Sure, its about bank robbers, but the job isnt the job.
Rather, its the challenge of giving us something new.
Because the thing about telling a story about bank robbers is that everyones been there already.
Michael Manns been there, done that.
So, with all the history to overcome, youd expect Affleck to pull a fast one, right?
A last minute reveal, perhaps.
The most surprising thing aboutThe Townis how conventional it is.
Its simply a story about bank robbers in Boston.
And people weighed down by their past.
And, well, you get the message.
Theres more to it.
The Townworks terrifically well as a pure heist film.
It has an immediacy and urgency thats riveting.
In the space of two films, Affleck has become an action director to rival Kathryn Bigelow.
Action junkies will not go home disappointed.
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But the film plays just as well as an intimate drama.
They feel lived in.
If that sounds too heavy, it isnt.
Afflecks punchy direction lendsThe Towna swagger that moves it forward at a terrific pace.
Because, as much asThe Townis both action and drama, its also a touching love story.
Just with added semi-automatic weapons.
In fact, its at its best when Affleck and Rebecca Hall share the screen.
Yet, theres so much right with the rest of the film that its hard to bear a grudge.
Rating:
4 out of 5
