The Town
I was fully prepared to not like The Town because I’m not a huge fan of Ben Affleck’s acting although I think he’s a brilliant director as evidenced by his touch on Gone Baby Gone. So imagine my delight when I realized after watching The Town that Affleck not only stars in it, but contributed his directorial talent and writing acumen as well. No wonder I can’t stop talking about it (and I saw it over a month ago).The story line is similar to other Boston-set crime dramas where local thugs (as one would have you believe) have to connect with police and there’s a lot of bloodshed (think along the lines of The Departed), but Affleck brings a very human level to the screen where the complexities of relationships and brotherhood bonds are explored with insight and chilling results.While Gone Baby Gone was more of a psychological thriller with moral dilemmas, The Town explodes with a type of simmering action that will evoke the famous WTF? internal monologue from anyone watching. As mentioned, I was prepared to not like Affleck’s acting in the film, but his performance was not only authentic and compassionate, it also convincingly demonstrated the struggle so many of us face when it comes to growing from the comfort of what defines (and confines) us.Excellent performances were also turned in by the late Pete Postlewaite (The Usual Suspects and Inception) as well as Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker). In short, Affleck has proven himself as a triple threat when it comes to acting, writing, and directing; and I personally cannot wait to see what he next gives us.