The Town
The Town takes place in the Massachusetts home town of this films star and director Ben Affleck. The suburb of Charleston has a rep as the world’s most notorious place for bank robbers and Affleck plays resident Doug MacRay, a former Boston Bruins draftee who could have been a contender but years later is a nobody caught up in the town’s well known criminal industry. His crew of four includes his adoptive brother James Coughlin (Jeremy Renner) and as hoodlums go they’re pretty crafty, robbing with precision and leaving no clues (especially DNA) behind - much to the chagrin of FBI special agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm). Doug has had a casual but steamy relationship with James’ single mom sister Krista (Blake Lively) for some time but when he gets involved with Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall) a former hostage from the right side of the tracks Doug has an inclination to change. He finds out that’s not so easy when James reminds him of a stretch up the river that left Doug in his debt and a local gangster 'Fergie' Colm (Pete Postlethwaite) threatens to hurt Claire if Doug does go straight. The Town is gritty; The Town has action - but not much new in the way of grit and action. Still if grit and action is what you hanker for you might want to pay The Town a visit.