The Town (2010): United States – directed by Ben Affleck
Rated R by the MPAA – contains language, violence, sexual content, very brief nudity, drug content
There has been a shortage of car chases in adult cinema recently; The Town intends to eradicate this problem. But to sell the film short as nothing more than an action/crime caper would be a shame, because it will disappoint the audience looking only for chases and fail to reveal some of the deeper themes of the film.
Ben Affleck has done an admirable job reshaping his career. From his start as a pretty boy to his role as Jennifer Lopez’s stripper pole in Gigli, Affleck certainly seemed deserving of his South Park nickname: Ben Assfleck. But then he stepped behind the camera for Gone Baby Gone, proving that he had the filmmaking chops necessary to craft a dramatic, gritty film. More importantly, he kept himself behind the camera, forcing critics to reevaluate his supposed ego. With The Town he remains behind the camera, but has adequately improved his acting chops so his turn as a star isn’t disappointing.