The broad title of Ben Affleck‘s sophomore directorial effort fits its generic plot. Adapted from Chuck Hogan‘s Prince of Thieves, the moral dilemmas and rich characters found in his take on Dennis Lehane‘s Gone Baby Gone aren’t present. Instead, Affleck takes us on a whirlwind adult crime drama that is beyond welcome in a year nearly void of the genre. Boston stays the backdrop and we are given a more commercial ensemble that delivers on the (multiple) heist aspect.
The performances across the board are top-notch, but the characters are one-note. As the stakes rise, the climax doesn’t pack the punch of Affleck’s knockout debut, but he is able to grow as a director in other areas. Through spacial continuity and stellar pacing, he crafts heist and car chase sequences that creep up to Heat levels.
Affleck steps in front of the camera as well this time around and carries the film with ease as bank robber Doug MacRay. Joined by a fantastic supporting cast, his steady performance is consistently overshadowed. Jeremy Renner, his partner-in-crime, brings a similar delusion found in his Oscar-nominated turn in The Hurt Locker. His unpredictability and stupidity make for a menacing surprise.
Blake Lively plays Renner’s sister and Affleck’s on-and-off girlfriend, taking a note from Amy Ryan‘s Bostonian transformation in Gone Baby Gone. Her role doesn’t have the same breadth, but it is of the same caliber. Jon Hamm proves he isn’t just a stand-out TV actor as the lead FBI investigator. His character doesn’t go beyond the task at hand, but his screen presence and acting talent is enough to admire.
Unfortunately, our lead’s relationship with Rebecca Hall doesn’t quite work. In the opening heist scene he temporarily kidnaps her, then goes on to form a budding relationship. Off the bat, as Affleck reveals his deepest childhood secrets to her and vice-versa, the believability I adored in Gone is absent. As the heists continue to up the ante, it gets even more absurd, which I was able to eventually accept. Initially, it comes off a bit jarring.
Not staggering is Paul Thomas Anderson‘s house editor Dylan Tichenor, who does smooth work here. Reminiscent of Inception, he juggles all the characters with precise flow. He not only constructs thrilling heist sequences, but flawless transitions.
Affleck’s directorial talent is abundant in many ways. By showcasing the ability to hold the weight of an entire scene on a simple glance of a tattoo or his grounded style that pulls us into the fully realized Boston landscape, he continues to shine with only a few missteps.
With such a memorable and fervently discussable ending in Affleck’s debut, it’s a shame the one here is a rehash of many we’ve seen before. With a bigger budget and wider scope, it’s admirable what Affleck has succeeded. Although I wish we got a little more depth, this gripping crime drama played out by exemplary performances is one of the highlights of the year.
8.5 out of 10
The Town hits theaters September 17th.