The Town

Movie Review of The Town

            The actors featured in this film include Ben Afflek, who directed the film.  Other cast members star ; Rebecca Hall, Blake Lively, Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner, Slaine, Owen Burke, Pete Postlewaite Peter Craig was the screen writer for this crime drama, that takes place in a current time setting in Charlestown Boston, MA. Ben Affleck plays Doug, who is connected to a stream of bank robberies. The film starts off with showing us a monument; maybe it is depicting justice, or injustice. The film shows the audience, four men plotting a bank robbery, while you assume they are not going to rob the bank, but they do. As Doug makes his first connection with Claire, he has an epiphany that he is no longer interested in crime.

            We see that Clair lies to the FBI, and already we the audience can tell the FBI seem to be the antagonist, instead of the bank robbers. As Doug becomes interested in Claire he offers himself to follow her. We see them meet at the laundry mat, Claire breaks down, but is not about to let anyone see why, she is strong. Doug is the only one aware of her painful reality. We see the movie continue, with many high speed chases, and we see comedy along the way. One scene reveals the bank robbers as they have just evaded the cops. One single cop car is next to them, because he is out numbered he lets them leave. The Crime scenes were great; they kept me interested by the strategy of the robberies. I liked the backstory of Doug, it showed the environmental influence, of his decision to take part in crime. I thought it was very interesting how he did not claim the child from Crystal. The child had dark hair like him. It was funny and realistic that he represented this further by; placing the child outside of the hotel room, and domestically abusing crystal. I enjoyed the mention of the organization “The Boys and Girls Club”. I loved this aspect of giving back to your community, along with showing the real side of people and their intentions, good or bad. Everyone in this movie made you feel compassion for them, except the FBI. The relationship between Doug and James, the brotherly bond was portrayed through one scene where; Doug asked him to help beat someone up for him, and essentially for the girl they had just kidnapped (Claire). You see the two beating a man, Doug and James have ski masks on. James reveals his face, and asks the man what did you do to piss my brother off?

            I thought the cinematography and music of the film, was dramatic and depicted the action seems fittingly. I enjoyed this film, and I think Ben Affleck did a great job, better than his old comrade Brad pit could have done. I liked that the costumes of the film were realistic. I liked the sweat pants and Crystal looked cheap but still pretty.