Big Screen Peter: The Town

Editor’s note: Peter Lewis has agreed to use whatever it is you call his writing style to provide some measure of analysis to those folks who still go to a theater to see a movie. Enjoy.

review by Peter Lewis

Despite toiling in a variety of projects from an early age, Ben Affleck first shot to prominence in 1997 with “Good Will Hunting.”

His co-star and co-writer for the Academy Award winning film was Matt Damon. While Damon went on to international stardom and critical acting successes, Affleck seemed to flounder after a series of initial successes. From flops like “Daredevil” and “Gigli” to the denigration of his relationship with Jennifer Lopez, Affleck had somehow become a seeming non-entity in Hollywood by the middle of this decade.

Picking himself up from these ashes, Affleck took a turn in the director’s chair with “Gone Baby Gone,” a wonderful cinematic translation of a gritty Dennis Lehane novel set in Boston. On the heels of this were well received roles in the comedic film “Extract” and the political thriller “State of Play.”

Now, with the release of “The Town,” his second Boston-based directorial feature, Affleck’s journey back to prominence seems complete. It has received generally well regarded reviews and took the top spot at the box-office in its opening weekend.

The film is a thrilling game of cops and robbers set in Charlestown, a once notorious haven for Irish mobsters in the northern reaches of Boston. Affleck stars as Doug MacRay, a recovering addict and one-time local hockey star that leads a small gang of highly skilled robbers. His performance as leader of this gang is by no means poor, but it suffers from Affleck’s inability to personify the true soul of his character. Even with the tattoos covering his noticeably sculpted body and his hard set jaw line, Affleck seems disconnected from this rough hewn character in which he’s cast himself.

While Affleck’s turn leaves something to be desired, the rest of the film features a slew of actors performing quite well. Mad Men’s Jon Hamm does a respectable job as FBI Special Agent, Adam Frawley, while Rebecca Hall gives an elegantly understated turn as Claire Keesey, bank manager and love interest to MacRay. The true stand out, however, was Academy Award nominee, Jeremy Renner, playing James Coughlin, best friend and “brother” to Affleck’s MacRay. Renner’s performance is taut and violently strung out, almost perfectly evoking a stunted and disaffected man flailing at the constraints of the world around him.

Despite gripping action sequences throughout, Affleck’s directorial efforts seemed a bit heavy-handed. The story is almost comically straight-forward, with every move and narrative turn sussed out in obvious fashion. By the time the credits roll, “The Town” has drifted into melodrama.

Even with its flaws, however, it’s a sustaining spectacle.

It’s a murky, slightly disturbing film that plays on emotional and ethical gray areas. Hamm, as the Agent Frawley, should be the good guy. He’s the white cowboy hat, yet his behavior is more overtly despicable than MacRay’s. He needles, pressures, cloys and pleads all to capture his target. But at what cost? His damage is unchecked. And while the results mayn’t be overt, they are nonetheless harmful.

And MacRay, the man who should by all rights be wearing that black cowboy hat, demands our affection. He’s a beaten man that has seen life, known the crushing weight of failure and despair, yet he dares to poke his head above the surrounding muck. While MacRay sees his path toward redemption, he’s weighed down by the lost souls of Charlestown. The destruction of a peaceful future is the only solace for those besot with jealousy.

• The Town is playing at the Malco Cinema 12 in Fort Smith. Link here for time and ticket info.

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