The Town

Crime dramas have sadly become predictable and since 2006's "The Departed" I have not really found a gritty crime drama worth watching. "The Departed" has everything you could want story, gun scenes, villains, and a stellar cast. The elevator sequence still makes me jump and surprised. Crime dramas have to surprise me and entertain me, and now with "The Town" I can say I found a new one to enjoy.
Charlestown, Massachusetts is the capitol of bank robbers, it is basically a family business, and the setting for this film. Four friends who each have their part, the brains, the crazy hitter, the hacker, and the get away driver; start the film off right away by robbing a bank. After someone trips a silent alarm they take a woman bank manager hostage and bail out. They release the hostage by the beach and take off. Then the rest of the movie is spent with them trying to stay out of the FBI's radar and keeping a watch on the hostage. Ben Affleck plays Doug, the brains of the operation who takes it upon himself to watch the girl, Rebecca Hall, because crazy Jeremy Renner 's Jimmy, has no problem taking her out of the scenerio. Soon after the mistake Doug makes in talking to Claire he begins a relationship with her. Problems with the FBI getting to close and another job in the works looms and when Jimmy discovers that Doug is seeing the hostage all the trouble starts. For Ben Affleck I see this film as a huge success; co-writing, staring, and directing this film, you could tell a lot of care when in to the flick. The scenes where they are investigated by the FBI agent, played by Jon Hamm, were a little lacking for me. Other than that the revenge, schemes, the fact that they try to take Fenway Park...was all awesome.
The stand-out performance of this movie for me was Blake Lively's portrayal of Krista, Jimmys sister. Krista is Doug's old love interest and the man that she hoped would be the father of her daughter. It is a really gritty, slummy role and to be honest it shocked me when I realized who it was. The girl has range from her normal roles in the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and "Gossip Girl." Her gritty Boston accent and tone really changed who she was. I must also say Jeremy Renner playing the keyed up Jimmy was fantastic, he's psycho.
All in all let me say, when people say that "The Town" is Affleck's come back to Hollywood, I say what ever the man never left. He is always worth my price of admission, don't count him out! Affleck's the bomb! (wink) I give "The Town" an 8 out of 10, and that's this ingènues opinion.