THE TOWN
US, 2010, 125 minutes, Colour.
Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall, Jon Ham, Jeremy Renner, Blake Lively, Titus Welliver, Pete Postlethwaite, Chris Cooper.
Directed by Ben Affleck.
This particular town is Charlestown, a blue-collar neighbourhood of Boston. We are immediately informed that this town has the reputation for having the highest number of car thieves and bank robbers. Before you can say ‘Boston’, we are in preparation for a bank robbery and immersed in its brutal execution and getaway, with a hostage. Quite breathtaking stuff. Not entirely new. We have seen bank robberies before. But this one is filmed and edited with pace and panache – and the death’s head masks and cloaks are menacing. Then the credits come on screen.
This is a Ben Affleck film. He worked on the screenplay, has the lead role and directs very effectively. Once upon a time, he and friend Matt Damon won an Oscar for their screenplay for Good Will Hunting and Damon went on to a top rank acting career, including Jason Bourne three times. Affleck went on to some romantic comedies and some thrillers and to ridicule for appearing in Gigli with Jennifer Lopez. Three years ago he wrote and directed an acclaimed adaptation of the Denis Lehane novel, Gone Baby Gone. It had a top cast. It had liveliness and excitement. It was hailed as a fine directing achievement. Affleck also won the Best Actor award at Venice for Hollywoodland.
This was not all a flash in the pan as is proven with The Town. This is a police and robbery thriller with the emphasis more on the robbers. As the story of Doug Macray (Affleck) is revealed, we see he comes from a long line of Boston criminals, fated for a criminal career. And, in action, he can be quite violent, machine gun and all. Veteran Chris Cooper appears as his father, a brief but scene-stealing performance. But, Doug’s close friend, Jimmy (Jeremy Renner whose career is developing after appearing in the unexpected Oscar winner, The Hurt Locker) is made of even sterner, mad and more savage stuff. He kills. It is he who takes the hostage from the bank, Clare (the versatile British actress, Rebecca Hall – Vicky Christina Barcelona, Please Give).
Meanwhile, an intense agent, Frawley (Mad Men’s John Hamm) knows who the criminals are but is out to prove their guilt and imprison them. Pete Postlethwaite gives a sinister performance as the drug-running florist who masterminds the crimes.
There are two more robberies (one with horror film masks and nuns’ habits), a desperate car chase and a finale at baseball’s Fenway Park which turns into something of a siege. Once again, they are filmed – and, especially, edited – for maximum effect.
And, yet, the film is also a love story, played quite tenderly by Affleck and Hall, he deceiving her and wanting to protect her from the mad Jimmy, she succumbing to his charm, not suspecting him. It is one of those ill-fated, star-crossed relationships that spells doom. Affleck can do both rough and charming, so the falling in love is quite credible.
It is interesting to watch how the moral angle is treated, possibilities of redemption, admiration of criminal prowess and quick-wittedness, and the issue of paying the price for wrong done.
Affleck’s directing style relies on a great number of close-ups, often profiles, so that we are in direct touch, it seems, with the characters. He also inserts quite a number of aerial shots of Charlestown as well as authentic street scenes which means that we feel we have visited Boston.
The Town shows how a familiar genre can be re-invigorated.
1. The Boston setting, the information about Charlestown and its crime rate, the dedication of the film to ordinary citizens of Charlestown?
2. The film as a piece of crime Americana, robberies, the tradition of bank robberies, films of bank robbers, especially during the Depression? The Irish tradition?
3. Ben Affleck, his work as director, as actor?
4. The setting, the continued aerial shots of Charlestown, the scenes in the streets, the sense of realism, audiences aware that they were in Charlestown?
5. The editing, the focus on characters and personal close-ups, the robberies, the chases, the siege, the pace? The range of the musical score and its moods?
6. The pre-credits, the voice-over, the introduction to the characters, the plan, the strategy, Doug and his knowledge, the tactics, the risks, the guns, the death’s head masks, the attack on the bank, the brutality and bashing the manager, Claire and her nervousness, the code for the vault, her pressing the alarm, the authorities coming? Her seeing the tattoo on Jimmy’s neck? His taking Claire, the blindfold, her walking towards the water, her comment that it was a terrifying walk?
7. The audience interest in the criminals, any sympathy for them? For Doug and his wanting to change? For Jimmy, psychopathic? The other members of the crew? The florist and his assistant? The brutality of the crimes, the ugly exploitation? The backgrounds of the characters, their families, crime, the pressures? Doug and his coming to terms with himself, the possibility of change, relationships?
8. Jimmy and his age, his nine years in jail for manslaughter? Krista and her child? Doug living in the house with the family, received after his mother’s death, father’s imprisonment? Jimmy and his motives, his brutality and bashing, taking Claire, the violence of his threats? Discussions with Doug? The meeting with Claire and Doug, his suspicions? Participation in the second robbery, shooting, the guard and his death? The car chase, the escape? Doug wanting out? The florist and his domination, the Fenway Park scheme? Disguised as police, more brutality, the final escape, Jimmy in the uniform, the shooting, dying in the street, Doug watching?
9. Claire, her work at the bank, the trauma of the experience, opening the vault, the alarm, walking to the water? In the laundry, the encounter with Doug, the invitation to coffee, their talking, the relationship, Doug’s charm, bonding between the two, her asking Doug about advice in informing the FBI? Jimmy talking with her, Doug shielding Jimmy so that she would not recognise the tattoo? Her work in the garden, her voluntary work with the children, her coming from the upper class and the way that she was viewed? Moods, hopes? The sexual relationship with Doug? The FBI, the interrogations, her learning the truth, seeing the photos of Doug? Her reaction, upset, Doug coming to the garden, her warning him off? The phone call and the FBI present, her lies, giving Doug the clue about the garden and her summer moods? Her finding the money in the garden, her work, volunteering, the donation for the ice rink? Her future?
10. Doug and his age, experience, work in sand and gravel, his friends, the bond with Jimmy? The robberies, the planning, his skills? Brains? Non-violent – except that the robberies were violent? Claire, watching her, the driving licence and her address, his talking with her, telling the story of his father, the search for his mother? His visit to his father, the discussions about the absent mother, his father’s abrupt manner, not wanting to see his son? The florist and his planning, Doug wanting to opt out, the florist and the threats to Claire? The Fenway Park siege, participation, the cleverness of the plan, the bags, the disguises, the escape? His watching Jimmy die? The phone call to Claire, watching her with the FBI? The garden, the money, the letter? His killing the florist and his assistant? The future? Redemption and atoning for what he had done?
11. The driver, his skills, boasting, giving his life for the others? The other member of the group and his participation?
12. The florist, sinister, his power, the assistant, forcing Doug, his shock at his being killed, the brutal truth about Doug’s mother and her suicide?
13. The FBI, Frawley and his assistant, as types, the detail of the investigation, the teams, brutality and accosting informers? Knowing who the criminals were? The photographs, the barbeque, Doug knowing the photos were taken? The pursuit, the car chase, Fenway Park and the information from Krista, the death of Jimmy? Claire and the phone call?
14. Krista, drugs, her daughter, family, relationship to Jimmy, to Doug, love for Doug, the threats from the FBI, giving the information?
15. Doug’s father, the brief scene, his background, still dominating in the prison, the issues of Doug’s mother, his going back to prison?
16. The robberies, the set-ups, the skill in perpetrating the crimes?
