by Shannon Hood, Sep 17 2010 // 1:00 PM
In 2007, Ben Affleck resurrected a career that was on a downward trajectory by writing and directing Gone Baby Gone, a movie that garnered a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Amy Ryan. After appearing in a string of flops and fueling tabloid flames with his romance with J-Lo, Affleck wisely chose to stay strictly behind the camera; he never appeared in the film. The film received universal praise, and critics hailed Affleck as promising director.
With the release of The Town, Affleck can either cement his reputation as a quality filmmaker, or he can fall victim to the sophomore slump we so often see talented directors experience. Fortunately, The Town is good enough to silence naysayers. It mines completely different territory than the quiet Gone Baby Gone, but it is a quality movie in its own right.
The Town plays more like an straight action film, and lacks the contemplative nature of Affleck’s first movie, but it is taut, well acted, and well directed. The film takes place in Charlestown, a suburb of Boston. Charlestown has earned the dubious honor of being the bank robbery capital of the world. The town has cultivated a crime syndicate capable of hitting a robbery target with surgical precision.
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Posted in: Drama · Movies · Reviews
Tagged: Ben Affleck, Drama, Gone Baby Gone, Heist, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, The Town
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by Matt Raub, Jul 16 2010 // 9:00 AM
Ben Affleck may get a pretty bad rap for his acting, but that was certainly redeemed (mostly) when he stepped behind the camera for the first time to direct Gone Baby Gone. The film was nominated for tons of awards, including Best Actress for Amy Ryan.
Affleck is at it once again with his latest directorial effort The Town. You can tell that he’s got some recurring themes, much like his buddy Kevin Smith, such as a gritty town in Boston and female abduction. This time, Ben himself is stepping in the male leading role, instead of casting his brother Casey.
The movie is based on the Chuck Hogan book Prince of Thieves about a bank robber who becomes infatuated with a witness that his gang is convinced will talk. The movie also stars Blake Lively, Jon Hamm, and Jeremy Renner.
Check out the new trailer after the jump. Catch Ben Affleck’s The Town in theaters on September 10th.
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Posted in: Action · Drama · Filmmaking · Movies · News · Trailers · Video · Warner Bros
Tagged: Amy Ryan, Ben Affleck, Blake Lively, Casey Affleck, Chis Cooper, Chuck Hogan, Gone Baby Gone, Jeremy Renner, John Hamm, Prince of Thieves, The Town, Warner Bros
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