The Town
User Score
7.7 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 362 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 330 out of 362
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 362
  3. Negative: 9 out of 362

Review this movie

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. dev92
    Aug 25, 2012
    7
    Ben Affleck is continually proving himself to be a very talented director. The story is perhaps just a little too slow for my liking but I really enjoyed the chemistry between him and Jeremy Renner. Everyone pulls their weight in this slow-burning, bank robbery thriller.
  2. Captain_Kirk
    Aug 25, 2012
    7
    While a decent heist thriller, 'The Town' sadly isn't much more than that. When the film is concentrated on anything besides the love story between Ben Affleck and Rebecca Hall, it's pretty interesting. Sadly, the love story is anything but interesting. Most will disagree, but I found the romance to be dull and lifeless. There's a 2 and half hour extended cut of the film that, to me, only makes matters worse by extending the romance. I wanted to like the film more and hopefully get past that main gripe, but I just couldn't. Jeremy Renner steals the show here, although I really did not find his performance to be great enough to be an Oscar contender. I think. As you can tell, I find 'The Town' to be over-rated, but that doesn't mean I didn't like it, it just means that I found nothing special about it. It's good for a single viewing, but I have no real reason to see it again. 7/10 for theatrical version, 6/10 for extended cut.… Expand
  3. tomfleet94
    Oct 15, 2012
    7
    It's good
  4. cameronmorewood
    Nov 7, 2012
    8
    This is no Departed, but Affleck, in the second film he directed as well is very good. The Town is a well-paced thriller, and is highlighted by Jeremy Renner, who is extraordinary here.
  5. Compi24
    Nov 28, 2012
    8
    "The Town" proves once again that Ben Affleck not only knows how to work in front of the camera. It's taut, brilliant, and modestly optimistic.
  6. worleyjamers
    Dec 8, 2012
    9
    So excellent! I would have loved to see this film grab the 10th Best Picture nominee slot last year...one of the best films of 2010. Ben Affleck has really turned into a great director.
  7. csw12
    Jan 13, 2013
    4
    The town is a film to look at in two different ways. It can be your standard action film with average acting and poor story or a film that mixes story and a action brilliantly. I would say the first choice was more accurate.
  8. StevenF
    Feb 26, 2013
    10
    Ben Affleck leads and directs an excellent cast in what can only be described as the most intelligent and grounded heist movie in a long, long time.
    We lead in with a few snippets about a square mile place in Boston called Charlestown, which apparently is where the most professional of bank heist robbers come from, accounting for around 300 robberies in Boston each year. This isn't dramat    isation...this is fact.
    We then lead in with Doug McCrea (Affleck) and his associates robbing a bank, but in a very professional manner, they rid the place of DNA traces, they know who works there and they know when the time lock allows the safe to open, these boys have did their homework, and Affleck has certainly stayed up late in mastering witty and intelligent script to go along with this fantastic movie.
    Jeremy Renner also stars in a very unique and vastly different role from the one he played in The Hurt Locker, sure, he still has the persona, but there is no mistake that his character of 'Jem' Coughlin is dangerous and very unpredictable.
    Th opening heist sequence is smooth, slick and full of ideas to which the viewer can just sit and enjoy what is going on in front of them. This doesn't stop, as the mistake is made of taking a hostage, Claire (Rebecca Hall) who Doug soon starts a relationship with, thus complicating his friendship with the ever loose cannon of Coughlin, and the new investigation from the FBI, headed by agent Frawley (Jon Hamm).
    Affleck has created the perfect balance of characters in that we don't know exactly how to feel towards them, should we forgive them for robbing banks or beating people up? Perhaps not, but of course is where the film shows depth, as Doug is looking at the long term future and has plans to get out of Boston, and its difficult in a film like this to draw the line as a viewer as to what is right and what is wrong, thus making this superbly acted and written., with excellent action and set pieces to go along with the crime caper.
    Affleck delivers a fine performance as the conflicted leader Doug, but its his directing skills and co-writing that really shine through. Renner is arguably the best performance of the film, his consistent disregard for the rules and basic human life is sometimes worrying to the point of anxiety at the film as it unfolds, he shows signs of emotional depth around Doug, but apparently nobody else.
    Rebecca Hall gives a sound performance as Claire, the kidnapped bank worker, her consistent questions regarding bank robberies to Doug are perhaps something to think about, but maybe not too much, with smaller roles for the late great Pete Postlethwaite and the ever expanding CV of Titus Weliiver, (seriously, this guy is in everything) this is perhaps one surprise thriller that is definitely worth seeing.    … Expand
  9. sanyrub
    Apr 4, 2013
    6
    Ben Affleck has directed 3 great movies. But the last one, Argo, is definitely better. Not the most impressive ever or passionate or fun, but it´s flaw-less. This second one (The Town) is well executed, is interesting enough, but there were moments in the film when I thought it was going to be so great, but it never got there. I found the ending predictable, or at least like I´ve seen simimilar things in some other movies a while ago. Good film for a new director. But not one that will stick with you… Expand
  10. Movie1997
    Apr 13, 2013
    9
    Before his academy award winning movie "Argo", Ben Affleck has created this intense crime thriller that proves that he's got what it takes to make a Bad-A** movie. It is tremendous in storytelling. Even though the love story portion is a bit strange, it still manages to work fantastically. Plus, it features a tremendous ensemble of actors such as Ben Affleck, John Hamm, Blake Lively, Rebecca Hall and of course, Jeremy Renner. They all really keep the story very well interesting and entertaining, especially Jeremy's portrayl of James Coughlin. It's also thrilling with the bank robbery scenes. God were they intense. Overall, it's a crime thrilling 21st century version of "Heat."… Expand
next
Page:

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
74 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 42 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 42
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 42
  3. Negative: 0 out of 42
  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Amy Biancolli
    75
    A first-class genre entry stacked with dandy performances and some crackerjack action to boot.
    Read full review
  2. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: J.R. Jones
    80
    This second feature doesn't resonate with nearly as much power, but its suspenseful story of two generations of career criminals in the city's northerly Charlestown neighborhood has a similarly haunting quality.
    Read full review
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Lisa Schwarzbaum
    91
    A rich, dark, pulpy mess of entanglements that fulfills all the requirements of the genre, and is told with an ease and gusto that make the pulp tasty.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »