I read the book and although many scenes in the movie played very different from what happened in the book but I thought they did a fantastic job depicting the characters as Chuck Hogan created them in the book. In addition the film complemented the book in such a great way I think it made the story even better and the alternative ending was great. Although, I would have liked Jemâ

Great movie. Exceeded my expectations. Ben Affleck is great, I like when him and Damon can use their Boston accents in flims. Jeremy Renner really surprised me. I thought he was better in The Town than he was in The Hurt Locker. I don't care how trashy Blake Lively looked, I would still kiss her face.

Wow! What a terrific film. I was incredibly surprised. I was pretty much dragged to the theatre by my brother, and I was very happy that I got to see this. I was sitting on the edge of my seat for half of the movie! It was incredibly suspensful, and even some jokes here and there. and I really liked the ending. i would recommend this film to anyone. go see it!

No offense to him as a person but other than Good Will Hunting, i find Ben Afflecks acting to be a joke. Though in this movie which he also directed, he is an intriguing character. I went into the movie thinking a wasted 6.50 on another turd flop of a movie but left with the satisfaction that it is one of the better crime dramas i have seen since The Departed.

I love this movie. My only criticism is at times the dialogue is so thick and mumbled I could not make out the words. So when you see it go to a theatre with good audio system! It could be this was intentional to give the film gritty, natural feel, I don't know. I was pleasantly surprised the lead of The Hurt Locker had co-starring role. Don Draper, aka FBI agent, at first I felt was underwhelming, but he delivered by films end too. This is a great friggin film! Anyone who says otherwise liked Sex and the City 2.… Expand

This is one best movies I have seen in years, though I did go in with modest expectations. Let's face it: Affleck has given us "Gone Baby Gone" and "Good will Hunting." But he also given us "Pearl Harbor" and "Gili."

Like "Hunting," Affleck is in his element in this movie and the writing could not be better. As a action suspense film, this script jumps off the screen seconds after the opening credits. The characters have depth but don't insist upon themselves. The feeling here is similar to Gone Baby Gone without the interruption of the ethical dilemma that movie had. It has the charm of Good Will Hunting but with a better mix of grace and grit.

There are some that will compare this film to "Heat" and that is apt. Except Heat was not as smart and tried to do too much by throwing every actor they could find into a movie with 17 plots instead of just perfecting one strong plot. This film has the intelligence to keep you guessing while allowing you to enjoy the simplicity of a scene.

The two make for a powerful movie.… Expand

A Brilliant Film - Jon Hamm and Jeremy Renner Deserve Oscars - Ben Affleck, Blake Lively, Pete Postlethwaite and Rebecca Hall also deserve recognition - Better than Heat - My Favourite Movie of the year so far - Unmissable!

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Okay Ben Affleck can direct and he's not bad as the lead in this. Some of you won't like the ending but no one got on anyone's case for the way Shawshank Redemption ended so chill out. This is one of those crime films that coaxes you into sympathizing with the crooks, you want them to get away, well at least a few of them. Depending on how much you know about Ben Affleck you might be able to detect a subtle autobiographical undercurrent smuggled into the plot. Just like his character, BA seems to have transcended his roots and left the unsavory aspects of his past behind him once and for all.… Expand

Wow, this movie is an absolute 12!!! By far the best movie I've seen in 10 years. It's simply riveting. Run, don't walk, to see it. I smell an Oscar! We are going to see it again.

This film only needs merely a sentence from me, and here it is. This is one of the best films of the year, and you must see it immediately; because not only is it epic, it is breath-stealing, fast-action, awesomeness.

Loved this film. Catch it on DVD/BLU-Ray if you missed it in the cinema. Wrote an extensive review here: http://seanryanmovies.blogspot.com/2011/02/town-2010-review.html

The movie was a little slow about 75% of the way through but that is the only complaint. Great cast. Fantastic story. Even better action. Might not be completely plausable but that is why it makes such a great movie. I would advise making plans to go see this.

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this movie was amazing.

ben affleck really has shown he can direct and that gone baby gone wasn't a one hit wonder

if theres any justice in the world Renner should get an oscar nomination

The Town proves that Ben Affleck has escaped the "cheesy surfer dude" roles. This guy knows how to tell a story, and how to direct one. He proved that with Good Will Hunting (one of my all-time favourites), Gone Baby Gone, and now with this. The film is gritty, intense, dramatic, and romantic when it should be. I was especially impressed with Jeremy Renner (who was nominated for his role) and Blake Lively, who gave a great performance with her small role as a drugged-up mother who needs some serious help.… Expand

It`s not just a sequel. It`s more like a rebirth in fast-paced style.

Great storytelling makes you feel like you are really there and care for the cast. The atmosphere is superb and Bioware again nails with voice acting.

Some will not like some changes in combat, but works for me.

Awesome game, a must buy for people who loves a great story.

The movie The Town is full of drama, action, and a lot of crime. The movie has a lot of suspense that will keep the viewers in their seat. This movie is not like other movies; it offers a great story line and has a good location on where it is filmed. It is filmed in The Charles-town neighborhood of Boston. The neighborhood has that rough feel to it that makes the whole look of location a good one. The Town is a movie that has a lot to offer in one drama film. The actors in the movie make it a lot better. The cast includes Ben Affleck, Rebecca Hall and John Hamm and Jeremy Renner and Blake Lively, these are just some of the main cast mates in the movie. There are many other actors in the movie that complete the movie scene. The actors/actresses that had a part in the movie have also been in other drama/action films before. They all know how to play their part and make the movie complete. What makes any good drama film good is how your purpose your part to the scene. Some reviewers might say they picked the wrong characters for the film. I disagree I feel that the characters they picked for the movie is what makes it better. Ben Affleck the director of the movie and the one of main character has been in many drama films before. Ben has also made a debut in another drama film â… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Selena is evolving much more at time. Looking behind for Kiss & Tell you can realize her grow. Mature vocals and independence define this album!!!!!!! One of the best of year!… Expand

Greatest thriller of all time. I thought this movie was going to be soo bad. But once i watched this movie with Deadlybrooke i thought this was the greatest movie of all time. I watch it from time to time and it gets better every time i watch it

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 dramatisation...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

I often find myself rating a movie against my own expectations. My expectations were relatively modest for this film, but it greatly surpassed them. I expected great things from Jeremy Renner, and he delivers in a big way. He might be one of the best 2 or 3 actors out there. Ham is serviceable, but his part isn't written to be an equal partner in an adversarial relationship like McNulty and Stringer Bell are in "The Wire". His part is too simplistic, but he plays it well. The only true weakness in the cast (and she's not even that bad) is Blake Lively. Rebecca Hall is one of my all-time faves, and she delivers here, too. One of our critics calls this a cross between "Heat" and "The Departed". But I felt it was more like a cross between "Heat" and "Good Will Hunting". Affleck's character pondering leaving this small corner of Boston is so similar to having to "go see about a girl", it's almost like we were back 10 years. But it's not a real problem with the film. You write what you know. The pace of the film is terrific, and you should be riveted for much of it. (Oh yes, the two fathers are tremendous in small roles.) I won't say more other than it's a very solid film. Great way to kick off the fall season.… Expand

This film shows that Ben Affleck has completed his career turnaround and it shows he belongs in the list of elite directors. In The Town, a story of a group of bank robbers, Affleck is able to show us the layouts of Boston, give us some epic action sequences, and some amazing performances from the cast. Affleck, Hall, and Renner show that they are actors with a mission and that mission is an Academy Award. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if any of them are nominated this year. Hamm is not given enough to work with and can't make his character seem appealing to anyone. Lively was a pleasant surprise and turned out a good role completely away from her Gossip Girl style. While Cooper and Postelwaithe are not n the movie for long, they milk the little time they have to churn out great performances. Overall this film will keep you thoroughly entertained and has enough substance to make a legitimate run at this year's awards.… Expand

A great second outing for Ben Affleck as a director, The Town is an effective and gripping heist film, with many great performances and strong direction. The film successfully manages the difficult balance between character moments and dynamic action sequences. The performances are across the board solid, the stand out being Jeremy Renner, who I had high hopes for after The Hurt Locker, whose Jem is crass and bold, but Renner makes his brusque attitude understandable in the circumstances he lives in. Rebecca Hall also is amazing as Claire, who is the audience's entry point into the events unfolding. Hopefully this film will allow Affleck to get more work as a director, because he has definitely proven himself a promising one.… Expand

Ben Affleck proves that he can not only act but direct too. He perfectly adapts the novel from which it is based and make into something interesting and entertaining to watch.

"Ben Affleck Directs a stunning masterpiece , in this one of kind thrill to the min thriller , that will keep you on the edge of your seat, The Town is one of the best films of the year which include Oscar worthy performances from John Ham & Jeramey Renner" .. A-

After seeing Gone, Baby, Gone I had some expectations for this film and am happy to report it met or exceeded most of them. This film spends a lot of time in the gray areas where good guys aren't so nice and bad guys aren't so mean (sometimes.) That might sound like the standard anti-hero theme we've seen so much in Goodfellas, Sopranos, etc. but this film still managed to make a couple unexpected turns. Can't ask for much more than that.… Expand

It seems that most of us grow up with some version of the family business. Hollywood in itself is a prime example. The Barrymore name has been ever present as long as making movies has been a business. As a child is raised into the family business there comes the time to make the ultimate decision. Do you rebel and become something else? Or do you find comfort in the continuation of way of life? But what is a person to do if there is no way to rebel from the family business without dire consequences.

This is the theme explored in Ben Affleckâ… Expand

Who knew that Ben Affleck had such talent -- not only as an actor, but as a director? Considering how lousy most of this summer's movies were, I'm amazed that this excellent offering has scored only in the mid-70s. And, am I imagining it, or are most of the 7-or-lower reviews below a bit vague -- lame, even -- in comparison to those that praised the film? Me, I'm looking forward to Affleck's next project.… Expand

So far this is my favorite movie of the year. Though I'm not sure if that's saying much this year. It was so much better than what I expected. Affleck proves that he is a contender in the Director's chair. About the only negative is Jon Ham's borderline acting skills. This movie was compelling from start to finish. All the other acting was strong, including Affleck. But Affleck's true calling is directing. I look forward to seeing future movies from him.… Expand

Ben Affleck's previous work, Gone Baby Gone, is center around Boston. And in The Town, Ben Affleck revisits his hometown to do nothing more than talk trash on it. He must've really hated this town because both of his movies portrayed nothing but evil of Boston. Nevertheless, The Town is beautifully directed, written with great wit, and acted with much style. The story centers around a bunch of bank robbers who have been successful at what they are doing. But the success comes to an end when Doug (Ben Affleck) decided to have a relationship with hostage Clairre (Rebecca Hall). As the relationship develops, Clairre finds out that Doug is a bank robber and it gets complicated. Meanwhile, Doug was having a casual sexual relationship with his friend's sister Krista (Blake Lively). Being jealous of Clairre, Krista decided to rat Doug and her brother's bank heist to the FBI resulting in a lot of stylized gun fires and great driving scenes. The end is obvious but it has a sad element that Ben Affleck wants the viewers to feel. Writing, acting, and directing the whole film, Affleck's got a lot on his table but still manages to pull off every single role. As a writer, along with two others, Affleck was able to collaborate his knowledge of the Boston language and the wit of actual screen writing. As a director, he was able to direct a great gun fire sequence and a stylish car driving scene. As an actor, Affleck's performance would place second behind Jeremy Renner's. The Oscar winner continues to boost up his already impressive career with The Town. Jeremy Renner isn't new to playing a **** yet violent guy, but he especially stood out here with his badass attitude. Blake Lively's role was small but she gave it her all. You couldn't see her cuss in a Boston accent and have sex with Ben Affleck in Gossip Girl, could you? Well, there's the other reason to check it out. While filled with much thrillers, the film also showed emotions. Helped by one of this year's best ensembled cast and stylish directing by Ben Affleck, The Town is an award-winning film. OscarBuzz: Best Picture (good chance for a nod, not win), Best Screenplay (guarantee a nod, good chance for win), Best Supporting Actor (Jeremy Renner, good chance for a nod and win)… Expand

Affleck proves himself with this film. His direction is top notch. The script is excellent. The performances although you may have seen these types of characters a hundred times before are played as if you'd never seen them before. There's little to fault. Affleck uses Boston like it was part of his cast. Jeremy Renner is a stand out but then so is Affleck. I didn't really expect to like this that much but I have to admit I was riveted.… Expand

Awesome Movie, Ben Affleck has more success as a director than as an actor, and The Town and Gone Baby Gone are very good examples of that. The concept of the film were so amazing, very well written and with a complex story and interesting, there wasn't a second of the movie that I was less interested, Jeremy Renner completely dominated his last scene, he really knew what he was doing, Rebecca Hall was other pleasant surprise, so overall this movie was one of the best movies in 2010.… Expand

Ben Affleck has made another exceptional crime movie, following up Gone Baby Gone with this gem that takes place in the town he loves so much -- Boston. Affleck directs and stars in this story about Charlestown, a Boston neighborhood where bank robbin' runs in the family. Jeremy Renner is phenomenal. Affleck himself is very very good. I didn't expect to love this movie but I loved it.

A single square mile in Boston called Charlestown contains more bank robbers than any other municipality in America/ And it is here where the setting of one of the best films of 2010 takes place. "The Town' is a powerful force that explores thoughts deeper than that of most films about organized thieves.

We are introduced to four criminals who are about to empty out an innocent bank. Two of them, Doug and James, are given much attention throughout the movie. The other two are, uh, well I believe there hasn't been a successful heist before in movie history that featured less than four guys. So there you go.

Because this is just the opening scene, the cops arrive right after the crooks get away, and in movie rules, theyâ… Expand

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.

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

The Town is a great start to the fall movie season. Like Michael Mann did with Los Angeles in Heat, Ben Affleck has made Boston a major player in the cast.

Very good movie. Excellent sound, the car chase thru the Boston neighborhood is really good. The street scenes were filmed to give a sense of the neighborhood. The script was very smart, the movie well directed. The acting was very good. You never really knew for sure how the movie was going to end. All in all, my wife and I give it 3.5 out of a 4 star rating.

Ben Affleck has become one of my favorite directors of the last few years, if for no other reason than his skill behind the camera has been such a refreshing surprise. Gone Baby Gone certainly got my attention, although it had its share of shortcomings. With The Town, Affleck flexes considerable confidence directing not only balls-out action sequences, but quieter, more intimate moments between characters. He gives his actors plenty of room to breathe, and each of the stellar cast has at least one memorable scene. Affleck as an actor is at his best here, as well, although I don't believe his character quite earns the fate that is written for him.

My only quibbles with the film remain small. One character in particular is underdeveloped, so much so that when that character dies, it occurs to the audience just how little we knew about him, and how little we care. Also, thousands of bullets fly in this film, and yet the gun battles just don't have the spontaneous feel I think the filmmakers were going for. The action seems a bit too choreographed, and as a result, nothing comes as a real surprise; the gritty tone set by the early part of the film gets a big-budget gloss toward the end.

Despite its flaws, you'll walk out of the theater having been thoroughly entertained, and with a healthy respect for Affleck as a director and, yes, an actor.… Expand

The Town is an intelligent thriller, with interesting dynamics between the characters, excellent performances across the board and proof that Ben Affleck is a terrific director. Whilst the plot and heists are not exactly original, the story unfolds at a perfect pace, and the action scenes and acting are beautifully down-played giving the film a real authenticity and genuine emotional core. Having been impressed with his previous effort, Gone Baby Gone, and marvelling at the terrific trailer, I was not disappointed by Affleck's latest. He is a truly talented director, alongside his writing and acting skills, which have been seriously underestimated after the Gigli Ben-nifer debacle, and I look forward to his next venture.… Expand

Ben Affleck's latest directorial effort stars him as the leader of a quartet of rough bank robbers in the Charlestown section of Boston. After he falls for the hostage from their latest heist, he tries to go straight. While the performances are uniformly strong and the action is taut, the predictable story and indulgent soliloquies keep the film from being as powerful as it might have been. One thing I don't understand: why do Affleck and John Hamm (the FBI guy) always have thick 5 o'clock shadows?… Expand

Another great film by Ben Affleck. Manages to do something similar to so many heist films in the past, yet in a very unique and affecting way. Very enjoyable. Holds your attention.

The Town is a very solid movie. It's just not very memorable. It has a little bit of everything that you want in a movie - solid actors, character development, plot, and action sequences - but it lacks a 'wow' factor. You can't wrong seeing this movie, but you won't be missing anything special if you don't see it either.

A solid follow-up to Affleck's fantastic and underrated "Gone Baby Gone," "The Town" is an extremely entertaining, albeit somewhat generic, crime thriller. The cast, even Blake Lively, is great, and Affleck shows that he has a real career ahead of him behind the camera.

Having lived in Boston and worked in law enforcement, Charlestown is portrayed very well, an Irish crime center, bank robber capital of the states, probably the world. I enjoyed this movie, although there were no real surprises in the story. Ben Affleck was very good, the whole cast was excellent, great car chase, the stories action was a bit forced. But all in all good film to see, I think you will enjoy it.… Expand

Set in Charlestown the "Town" reminds us of films like "The Departed and "Mystic River", it's paced perfectly and the acting is mesmerizing.

Full review : www.dukeandthemovies.com

I will be honest... the only thing I expected from Ben Affleck was disappointment. I was wrong, totally wrong. This is a heist movie, an action movie. But it is also about Affleck's struggle with morality, loyalty and love.
A roaringly entertaining journey.

Ben Affleck has been given so much **** I've realized something though. Just because the guy has chosen to do some really repugnant movies, doesn't mean he's a bad actor. If I played for the New York Islanders that wouldn't make me a bad hockey player. It's the team that sucks.
He's now deservingly regarded as a talented director (a status they'll try with might to rip from him), but it's also time to admit that he's a talented actor as well. He just needs to pick the right teams to play for. Playing for his own is a great start.… Expand

The Town is at its best whenever the bad guys are up to no good. The cast is very fitting indeed with Affleck and Renner as the key "bad guys", Hamm as their adversary and the always brilliant Postlethwaite as the don. Brought me memories of "Heat" and "Break point".

Ben Affleck's "real" directorial debut definitely lives up to it's unoriginal title and intriguing cast. Never has a movie just felt so normal, so engaging, it leaves the audience to become strays in the theater. The film quickly learns to be intelligent, but simplistic at the exact same time. The action reaches it's peak near the end, because there was a slight lack of it for the rest of it. The interaction between the characters in average dialougue can make you wonder how this movie can be interesting. Well, it works!… Expand

honestly, i expected more..although it didn't bring anything new to the silver screen, the movie was enjoyable, but when you have set the bar with inception-like movies it's really hard to be blown out with this film...the acting is great, a great cast but i feel that something is missing..i'm not a fan of the love story in the movie, but i enjoyed the action scenes and their tensity..i wish the characters had a better connection with the viewers....… Expand

The Town' runs on a very simple premise, executed particularly well by Ben Affleck, the star and director of this film. Affleck plays Doug MacRay, the leader of a group of bank robbers in a small Boston-area town, and it turns out that they're no amateurs; in fact, they've been doing this for years. It's this small town's underground crime family, an accepted aspect of their culture. Doug decides he wants out of the "family business" after falling in love with the hostage from his previous robbery, and this marks the beginning of a dastardly explosive chain of events that lead up to a colossal conclusion. While there are some plotholes here and there, they're barely noticeable since the film moves in a rapid "Nolan-esque" pace. Most of the characters in 'The Town' are pretty stereotypical and the story is somewhat cliché, so why did I like it? Probably the same reason everyone else liked it: it's just so much fun! The stereotypical characters don't end up so stereotypical when they're portrayed by an outstanding cast (including Jeremy Renner (Hurt Locker), Blake Lively, Jon Hamm and Chris Cooper), and the story moves by so quickly that we have no time to argue with any implausibilities. It's a genius technique that's being used more and more lately, most notably so by 'The Dark Knight' and 'Inception' director Christopher Nolan. It's easy to get lost in these films if you think too hard, which is why you should only focus on what's simply being presented. It's what films are for, and both Nolan and Affleck demonstrate this superbly. Now here's me thinking too hard, because some things in 'The Town' were indeed confusing. For instance, if these guys have been robbing banks for years, why are they still poor? Where is all of the money going? Why do the banks continue to have poor security? Why are the feds just now catching up? The way these questions are avoided shows a surreal style of realism that is nothing short of spectacular. While these holes are avoided, we're expected to just roll with it, and if you do just that, it's definitely going to be one of the most entertaining films you see this year. The whole "backing out" plot is a classic that has been somewhat overused throughout film history, but it is handled well in 'The Town.' Doug represents an inevitable "flaw" that always marks the end of an ongoing system, that system being the success of the robberies. When one specimen, in this case Doug, decides to turn against the system, it is a break from the conventional, what critics look for in movies, character development! Affleck plays a believable character going through a mental struggle to obey or betray his "family traditions, and Renner shines as his brother, a tough guy who sometimes makes ignorant decisions. Honestly though, he's one of the most intimidating film characters I've seen this year. Like I said before, they're mostly stereotypical, but they're acted out very well. I'm a sucker for good heist films, and this one goes down with the newer 'Ocean's Eleven' and 'Dog Day Afternoon' as one of my favorites. It's loud, intense, and action-packed, not to mention some of the coolest robbery sequences I've ever seen in film. If you want something smart and philosophical, this wouldn't be my first recommendation, although I wouldn't say it's not smart. But if you're down for something that never lets go of your attention, then this is a great choice.… Expand

I was quite happily surprised by this film. Very little cliche in the dialogue and a little bit more in the events that occur in The Town, but the heart of the film beat out all of the pure violence to make it a little less of an action film and a lot more of a drama. Great job on Jeremy Renner's part as well as on Affleck's for a great direction. Not a nominee for best director at the Oscars this year, but it would be great to see him up there. In a year of a king with a speech impediment, a man who invented facebook, a doppelganger fearing ballerina, and many others, this film puts itself up with the big dogs, but falls a tad short of being properly recognized. This was a good film. At moments when I was really worried for The Town of being predictable or cliched, I was happy to find original plot twists, though minor and a very nice look on the business of robbery in the town where it flourishes the most. The whole "robbers are people too" theme seemed a tad bit cheesy, but after saying this I feel bad because this is a good movie, not one of my favorites, but it does it's job of providing smart dialogue, good performances, stylish action sequences and great direction.… Expand

This is really a good movie. Just see it. (score 9)

And I hate Ben. (And his big head/bad acting ) But he earned my respect here, as an actor and a producer. Getting error : Score (9.0) id must be a floating point number.

If you liked Heat, The Departed or Inside Man this movie is for you. Very well acted by the leads Affleck and Renner with good cameos by Chris Cooper and Pete Postlethwaithe. Affleck does a good job behind the camera to with a script that has charactors that feel real and well choregraphed action scenes. A great heist movie that deserves to be seen by more people than would usually watch this type of movie. Affleck is making waves after Gone Baby Gone and now this.… Expand

One of the most underrated movies of 2010. It definitely did not get the attention or recognition it deserved. Despite the awkward attempts at Boston accents, the acting, script, and direction was strong.

Although many action films have their adversity of progressing the storyline and plot, 'The Town' directed by Ben Affleck shows the perfect storyline and even solid action performances.

Sorry wrote the post 20 mins in. It's Heat except he lives. Still very good but only because heat was that good. Heat with Ben's Boston treatment that leaves a lot to be desired.

Finally a thriller that is actually intelligently written, acted out and overall packaged! It is always a fine balancing act to make a film with such thematic be really good and effective. Without unnecessary car chases, violence (all the violence is rather appropriate in the film), "The Town" represents what every thriller ought to be. With an impressive cast, led by the excellent Jeremy Renner and Rebeca Hall, as well as director/writer/leading actor Ben Affleck, the acting in the film is excellent. Great ensemble, with Jeremy Renner really standing out as one of the best performances - matching up to his performance in "The Hurt Locker."
Overall, the film is somewhat slow, but it definitely keeps you interested. Maybe not as suspenseful as it could have been, but still cleverly written and directed by the surprisingly good Ben Affleck, the film is definitely a must-see of 2010!… Expand

The Town is a terrific action movie and one of the best films of the year. Ben Affleck is in fabulous form as both actor and director in this heist movie. A well-written script and a superb setting; Boston, which actually plays a big part in the film. The story follows a master thief (Affleck) who inadvertently falls in love with one of his heist victims (Rebecca Hall) and begins to re-think his life. Amongst this is an Oscar worthy performance by the awesome Jeremy Runner and a strong performance as usual by the late Pete Postlethwaite, recognition to Blake Lively and Rebecca Hall who were great. A great action/heist movie with some excellent performances.… Expand

Much better than I expected. Ben Affleck should stick to his Director's Chair, it suits him just fine(See Gone Baby Gone). A compelling thrill ride.

Overall a great movie. A little bit slow in the first half of the movie, other than that i would have gave it a 10. Great effects and i loved the realism. Some scene of this movie gave me chills down my back. From the masks, to flash grenades. Also, Great special features. Definitely one to pick up!

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.

"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.

I don't like Ben Affleck as an actor. I think he's very overrated and quite bland. As a director thou, he is now 2 for 2. The town was a terrific story based on actually events. The action sequences are phenomenal and the story was pretty solid. The crappy bawston accents did make the dialogue a little difficult to understand but overall, I feel like this was a great film that defiantly lives up to the hype. It worth checking out.… Expand

An above average heist movie that does its job well. Was hoping that this would be an Oscar worthy flick that would grasp me like The Departed and Gone Baby Gone did. While Ben Affleck did a nice job directing and put in a solid acting performance there wasn't enough of an attachment between the viewer and the characters.

The Town should've been re-titled "Boston Heat," since it pays heavy tribute (I'm in a good mood, so I'll refrain from using the word rip-off) to Robert De Niro's great heist flick. But all in all, that's not such a bad thing...

Let's see if any of this sounds familiar: a crack bank robber/master thief known for his elaborate planning and cautiousness, falls in love with a woman he meets and begins to reconsider "the life." He heads up a close knit team who depend on him to get by, including one hothead/trouble maker he keeps making exceptions for. Hot on his trail is a savvy, dedicated lawman obsessed with bringing him down. The two men come face to face and pretty much issue mutual challenges to best the other. Of course, despite his odd hours and ever-present indications, the woman remains clueless for most of the movie. Ultimately, it all comes down to one final job... one that will put his teammates right and provide enough of a cushion for the man (and hopefully the woman) to start over somewhere. Bullets, blood and vengeance ensue.

I thought so.

Of course, you could do a lot worse than making a movie that's essentially Heat Lite. Affleck provides some great scenes, including the opening robbery, which moves so fast that you feel like you've been bum rushed right along with the patrons and employees of the bank. And the movie is put on the shoulders of some good actors, including Jeremy Renner ("The Hurt Locker") as Affleck's impetuous partner in crime, Chris Cooper as Affleck's incarcerated pop, Titus Welliver (LOST's Man in Black) as one of the local cops, and Pete Postlethwaite as the local boss that complicates things.

[Perhaps because he was staying so close to the Heat formula, Affleck felt the need to put a crappy actor in the lawman's role... although instead of Pacino's overacting, he instead uses a wooden Jon Hamm (I don't care what you people say. Mad Men blows and he can't do anything other than hold a smoldering cigarette). Hamm sucks the life out of almost every scene he's in - which is unfortunate, since his screen presence increases as the movie goes on.]

What bothered me most about the movie was how silly the core plot is. Even though I never bought De Niro's relationship with Amy Brenneman, at least it was born out of De Niro's growing loneliness and the fact that for all his success, it wasn't worth having if there was no one to share it with (unlike like the rest of his crew, who all had families and/or significant others). Here, Affleck's crew kidnaps one of the bank employees (Rebecca Hall's Claire Keesey) for no real reason whatsoever. While in their keep, the men feel no reason to disguise their voices or talk in whispers (she's blindfolded). And then just as inexplicably, they let her go (despite Renner's character being keen to want to kill/maim/shoot every person who so much as throws him a sideways glance).

Afraid that they may have let a key witness go scot-free, Affleck decides to tail her to find out what she knows. They end up meeting in a laundromat and, seemingly within minutes, they fall for one another. It's hard to decide what I couldn't fathom more:

- How this chick didn't know it was him (Affleck's 5 minute dissertation on why she shouldn't tell the police about a key piece of evidence and his use of acronyms only a cop or criminal would know might have tipped her off) right from the get go; - How Affleck's Mr. Cautious Planner could let himself screw up this badly; or
- How it could take the Feds so long to put this Encyclopedia Brown-esque mystery together.

...but that's the critical side of me talking. If you asked me whether or not you should see this movie, I'd tell you yes. Because it's fast paced, it holds your interest and you really do find yourself rooting for Affleck's character in the end. Thumbs up. You won't be disappointed. More reviews at www.deconstructors.com… Expand

At times stylish, sometimes well-acted, and mostly nicely filmed, "The Town," in the end, left me a bit flat and disappointed. What was missing? Well, I don't know for sure. I think a lack of focus contributed to the sense of incompleteness. Too many issues, some only partially resolved. Mostly I was entertained and the grainy, gritty texture of the cinematography lifted my expectations for the underlying story. But instead of a tight, cohesive beginning-to-end tale of a hardened criminal trying to rise above his circumstances, the storytelling sprawled across the screen in a series of loosely connected scenes and performances that eventually, like Ben Affleck's Doug, just left. It's a credit to Affleck's somewhat surprising ability as director/actor that this stew stays together at all. Not a bad picture, at all, but the bones were there to deliver something much, much better.… Expand

While Ben Affleck has exceeded any expectations I had for him since first seeing him in Mallrats many moons ago, his better-than-average performance in "The Town" has been entirely overrated, as has the movie. I, unfortunately, had my expectations pretty high when I read the hype surrounding this movie. Unfortunately, they weren't met. "The Town" is certainly a fine film, much better than most fare from Hollywood. However, the flow of the movie seems elementary with scenes and storyline elements lasting unnecessarily long. The sudden fade out that end also threw me for a loop. It was mechanically clumsy, perhaps having more to do with editing than directing, but it was a valiant effort nonetheless. Being a huge fan of Boston, having just spent a large amount of time there in the last year, it was interesting to be reminded of all the places I had visited. Also, my baseball pants did a dance when they robbed Fenway. There was significant dialogue that was so muddied in Boston dialect that it was difficult to follow. There were also unfinished storylines, inexplicable progressions and some difficulty emotionally attaching to the plight or life of the characters. Blake Lively was the biggest surprise in the smallest role as Jeremy Renner's sister and Ben Affleck's former lover. She was in the movie only a little, but had a tremendous impact and showed range I wasn't aware she had.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. With two movies under this surprising filmmaker's belt, one commonality stands out; aside from, do we dare say, the auteur's fondness for time-lapse photography(he likes fast clouds), and that is his tendency to uphold the sanctity of motherhood, at the expense of the best interest for the child. Patrick Kenzie, the low-rent gumshoe played by Casey Affleck in "Gone Baby Gone", not only sees law and order in terms of black and white, his monochromatic worldview extends to people as well, best exemplified in the penultimate scene where he "[does] the right thing" and calls the cops on Jack Doyle(Morgan Freeman), who helped orchestrate the kidnapping of a little girl. Despite his girlfriend's protestations, Patrick insists on reuniting the child with her druggin' and whorin' mother(played by Amy Ryan). How can the detective be this unbending and injudicious, so unseeing of the big picture at hand? How can the protagonist, the hero we're supposed to relate with, let us down so badly? It's blood simple. Provincialism is the cause root of Patrick's blindness; he never left Dorchester, and as a result, the Massachusetts native never attained the proper perspective of its denizens, especially Helene, because he's one of them, a lower-class Bostonian with the same issues about race and social class, the same type blood. Twice, on separate occasions, Helene utters the n-word in Patrick's company without a reprimand, without even flinching. His complacency toward the racial epithet materializes as a real blind spot when it's revealed that the black chief of police keeps a white wife. As a counter to Angela's advisory against pursuing the letter of the law, the primordial Patrick, the hard-scrabbled street kid whom the soft girl tamed in high school, returns with a vengeance, when he asks with some bitterness and wounded pride, "Why? Because he has money and makes her sandwiches?" Is Patrick lashing out at Doyle's class, or race? The moviegoer gets the answer in the closing moments of "Gone Baby Gone", as the detective sits with the returned girl on the parlour sofa. Only then, after it's too late, over the blare of a cartoon from the electronic babysitter, does the detective practice introspection. Whereas Patrick Kenzie never left Boston, Doug McCrae(Ben Affleck) returns to Charlestown after his professional hockey career goes nowhere. According to Jem(Jeremy Renner), his almost famous friend thinks he's better than the other neighborhood boys-turned-hardened criminals(an accusation that's right on the money), unlike Patrick, who doesn't give up on Helene's potentiality as a mother, which in effect, validates his own self-worth as a bred-and-born townie. While Patrick, arguably, is a closeted bigot, Doug's brand of intolerance seems more rooted in class. Rather than improve the life of the child he fathered with Jem's sister(played by Blake Lively), the disposable girlfriend, the barfly he f****, Doug leaves behind the stolen loot with Claire(Rebecca Hall), the woman he makes loves to, his ticket out of Charlestown(as Angela was Patrick's ticket to liberate himself from the sociological limitations of his own town); he leaves behind a little girl in hell, likewise, with an equally unfit mother.… Expand

A good action, gritty film that allowed you to overlook the reality flaws. If only the ending could have done so. The ending is so reality flawed that it almost lost me as an a viewer.Still, it was better than I expected and I thought the performances were good, particularly Jeremy Renner.

Sadly The Town is not as finely executed as the bank robberies it portrays on screen. It does not completely stall, but Affleckâ

This review contains spoilers. Wish I could give them movie a 7.5, but 7 will have to do. This movie had a lot of hype and I think my expectations were too high. It was a solid flick, but not a movie i'll be watching over and over again (i.e., departed). The action was solid, the acting was a little all over the place. Supporting case was probably all better than Ben. He got yolked up for this movie and looked the part, but I just felt like he was pretending to be bad ass instead of just being bad ass. One thing that I found a little lackluster in the film was the tempo of the music. A lot of scenes had little to know soundtrack. It might just be my personal taste, but I love when the music and the action just sync and you're totally lost in the scene. Certain points had it, the last heist (for sure), but for the most part I think Ben went w/ a realistic approach. I recommend this movie, but don't expect the movie of the year, just another solid entertaining action flick.… Collapse

This film was action packed and the acting was quite good. It kept the audience enthralled at times yet in the end it left us wanting more. I went into the film with zero respect for Ben Aflieck and left believing he was capable of much more than "daredevill".

If you think Ben Affleck is a great Actor, you should take a better look at GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997). If you think Ben is a great Screenwriter, you should see more thoroughly in THE TOWN. In thiz last movie, he also directed it. For me, Ben is the third talented Actor-Director in the past decade, beside Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson. Thiz is his second long feature after respectable GONE BABY GONE in 2007. The Town is Charleston-Boston, where everybody knows everybody. It revolves around the bank thief Doug (Ben Affleck), his partner in crime James (Jeremy Renner), along with their former hostage Claire (Rebecca Hall) who will be having a love affair with Doug later, and a FBI agent Adam (John Hamm). All of them got tangled into cat and mouse situation. First half of the movie, it is introducing the characters and situations. Then the second half, it flips over nicely and everything is mounted up very well. I think Ben is success with his directing method bcoz he does not exaggerate things up, he just let every thing flows naturally. Yes, he is playing save here. The factors that empower thiz movie are simply a good script and consistent Actor performances. Ben himself shows a very calm and convincing performance. As well Rebecca Hall as his love interest, Hall delivers a precise fragile and lovable character. Jeremy Renner is deathly awesome with his street-gang attitude. Most of the supporting Casts deserve honorable mentions as well. Blake Lively as Doug former-girlfriend and single parent, I have never seen Lively blends into thiz kind of troubled character. Chris Cooper as Doug behind-the-cell father, it only took one scene but it is surely memorable. And the last but not least for me, it is Pete Postlethwaite as Fergie the flower man who is the brain of the crime. There is strange feeling by only hearing his intimidate and unique accent. In the end, we realize it is The Town that could change people, and the people are just victims. It is harder to change the system than the person itself. But to change the system, it should start by changing the person as well. And thiz will be a never ending circle. It is totally out of our control. But we can control something, for me it is waiting for another Ben next project. I will see him again, on thiz side or the other. Visit My Blog on JONNY'S MOVEE: http://jonnyfendi.blogspot.com… Expand

The gritty feel and good acting saved this for me despite the fact that I did not quite believe the romantic part of the story line. At this point I would watch Jeremy Renner in anything, though -- and Rebecca Hall is remarkably real as well.

It beats most heist thrillers, but I was expecting more from Ben Affleck's sophomore directing effort than tight shootouts and good acting (Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall, one of Affleck's best performances). Glaring script holes and contrivances leave me hoping "Gone Baby Gone" wasn't a fluke.

Generally I think this film has been a bit overrated. The use of the Boston locale is done beautifully but the plot strains credulity over and over. Twice we see the criminals being set upon by dozens of cops -- the first time in a car chase through incredibly narrow streets -- yet they manage to get away with barely a scratch. The love story never really takes hold either, so a major part of the plot mechanics fails to engage. If you're willing to forgo some believability then this is an entertaining two hours but for gritty realism you'll need to look elsewhere.… Expand

http://mushreviews.blogspot.com/2011/03/town.html

In case you don't know the Town has a simple concept that has been done time and time again. Bank robbery. So in that front it's not the most unique and other movies have done it before, etc. etc. But, I am a huge sucker for bank robbery movies so I couldn't pass this one up. And while bank robbery movies have been done before this one still manages to stand out. From the crazy ways they rob the banks to a pretty heavy romance tone throughout the movie.

Acting was good and it tied into the storyline very well. And speaking of the story, I mentioned about the romance overtone. Yes, it does have a hefty romance theme going on but there are also themes of brotherly camaraderie and vengeance. It really has it all. So if you haven't seen this movie yet I'd give it a go. I mean if it was good enough to be nominated for Oscars you know it has something going good for it. Plus my review (;… Expand

Some good performances from Affleck, Hamm and especially Blake Lively. Some sequences required too much suspension of disbelief for my taste. Although sometimes a little too "by the book," Affleck shows promise as a director.

The plot is common, conventional, and even cliche. Thank for awesome direction and cinematography, and also intense action. While The Town glories in genre tropes it also dumps any overt stylings, keeping the action alive and lithe.

"The Town" is daring and tense; its a rare gangster movie that is abundant with strong action and appealing force to the audience. Bravo Mr. Affleck, Bravo!!

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I watched The Town knowing that (a) it starred Ben Affleck; and that (b) it *might* have been directed by the same person. Nothing more.

I really enjoyed this Boston bank robbery tale and - as I'm a sucker for a happy ending - I should've loved how it was concluded. The last 15 minutes felt a little tacked on, but it was a good story well directed by Affleck.… Expand

Don't be fooled by the fact that Affleck is in this - it's actually pretty good! Slightly predictable popcorn film, but with some good performances and a decent script that make it better than most. Worth a punt.

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.

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

It's good

First off, the one thing that this movie lacked was originality. It was a combination of Good Will Hunting, The Departed, Heat all rolled into one. You knew what was going to happen, and there were no surprises. On the plus side, Jeremy Renner was absolutely excellent in this film, as was Blake Lively. Outside of Affleck, the accents were done well, and the characters were all strong and compelling. I understand its his thing to pick one neighborhood in Boston whether that be Charlestown, Southie, Dorchester, etc. and find a blue collar story to tell, but I for one am growing rather tired of it. Find a different perspective, and take a chance.… Expand

This is a movie full of hits and misses. Ben Affleck directing is a hit. Ben Affleck acting is a miss. I personally feel that Mr. Affleck suffers from the terminal disease of being too-likable-in-a-normal-sort-of-way. The kind of likeable that I would have over to watch a hockey game. Not the kind of likeable that I would believe could rob banks and have one of the hostages fall in love with him. There are other actors out there who suffer from a similar disease of being too good looking to be believable. Luckily, there are some other very qualified personal who are able to make the most of their characters. And Affleck allows them the space in order to do it. The movie clips along at an efficient pace and effectively balances out action and drama. The action scenes are well executed and get the adrenaline pumping, but I found some of the smaller scenes were handled more clumsily. This was a disappointment considering Affleck's previous film Gone Baby Gone. In particular the scene involving Renner, Affleck and Hall sitting at a cafe would have produced it's menacing intentions more effectively using subtlety rather than telegraphed acting and dialogue. The movie closes out with more hits and misses, but Affleck still shows promise as a budding director.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Barely in the realm of thumbs-up. It's busy, it's gritty, and Affleck went to some trouble to make the people appear real (no botoxed babes in cake makeup). Rebecca Hall is appealing, Jeremy Renner is seriously unlikable, and Affleck is not bad, but at no point to you *really* care about the people or the outcome of the movie. Yes I *did* want Affleck to get away at the end, but was I cheering when he did? No. I looked at my watch a lot during this flick...… Expand

The Town is a decent attempt by Ben Affleck and for the most part is entertaining. I did however find the acting a little over done and forced - the characters never seemed to stop yelling and swearing at each other for no real believable reason other than the director wanted them too. The last act was interesting in an action oriented way and was well directed. Not the greatest movie, but good enough to be entertaining.… Expand

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

I was disappointed in this movie. Resembled Heat with Val Kilmer, but much slower. I could not get invested with the characters enough to care about them when it was needed the most. I found myself bored by the long pauses between action scenes. I understood the need for it, but the way it moved was just to slow for me.

This film was a solid second effort, but like Gone Baby Gone suffers from a lack of realism. The acting is very fine, particularly from Jeremy Renner and John Hamm, and the action scenes are extremely well directed. However, the story just didn't work for me. Perhaps Affleck should hand over the writing to someone else for his next film.

Negatives - Lots of cliches, unintimidating bad dudes, cheesy Boston over the top accents, Ben Affleck is in it.

Positives - Bank robbery action is good, Chris Cooper rocks

Worth seeing but temper your expectations.

I watched the DVD having seen only the original trailers and expecting an action/heist film. I got that for about 15 minutes at the beginning and 15 minutes at the end. The rest was a long-winded (2 hours) drama about the developing relationship between three of the characters involved in the robbery at the beginning of the film. If you're looking for an action type flick you might want to pass. If you're an Affleck fan you will get a decent film that will help him climb back up to the top of Hollywood where he one stood alongside Damon.… Expand

I didn't think it was all that. The acting was good but it's a dvd rental if you ask me.This movie received a mixed response from me. I expected much more from Ben Affleck's skillful directing. Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, & Blake Lively seemed into their respective roles, however Affleck and Rebecca Hall were in their own little worlds. Pretty disappointing,

It copies the central theme from the movie Heat and throws a bit of James Bond style chase scenes in it but the overall affect is weak. Some parts are great but there is some shortcuts taken in the script which can leave the viewer somewhat cheated. Its an Ok movie but not one to watch a second time.