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Risk the price of 'The Town'
Showtime with Sasha
thetownpix
Ben Affleck has a hit with "The Town." - photo by Photo provided.
Welcome to another edition of “Showtime with Sasha.” I’m your personal film critic and I saw “The Town” last weekend. It’s an action-packed drama about Boston-born bank robber Doug MacRay, played by Ben Affleck. When he and lifelong pal James “the Jem” Coughlin rob a bank with their crew, things get sticky and Coughlin, played by Jeremy Renner, takes a hostage. Renner won an Academy Award for his work in “The Hurt Locker.” He will also play Marvel’s Hawkeye in the big upcoming “Avengers” movie.
The hostage, bank manager Claire, is played by Rebecca Hall, who you may remember from “The Prestige.”
After the heist, “Mad Men’s” Jon Hamm jams up the crew by bringing the heat. In other words, he’s hot on their trail even though they pride themselves on not leaving any traces behind. When Jem wants to snuff out Claire to protect the crew, Doug steps in, saying he’ll take care of it.
What Doug does is fall in love with Claire, which makes his high-stakes life even more complicated.
The best thing about “The Town” is director and star Ben Affleck. He was pretty believable and he picked a great cast, including “Gossip Girl’s” Blake Lively and “Seabiscuit’s” Chris Cooper. I love Pete Postlethwaite, too.
Affleck also directed “Gone Baby Gone,” starring his little brother. It got a best supporting actress Academy Award nom for Amy Ryan.
I think “The Town” is good enough to be nominated in the category of best director or best film, but it isn’t exactly “The Departed” and isn’t quite spectacular enough to win. And that’s the worst thing about it.
But I’m definitely a fan!
Heist lovers, if “Takers” earns, let’s say, three waves of my fan, then “The Town” scores at least four. The fun popcorn flick just can’t compete with the well-constructed drama.
I’ll see you next week.
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