The Town is about four childhood friends that grew up together in Charlestown a neighborhood in Boston. This group of friends were in the family business of robbing banks and armored-cars.
Charlestown is reported to have produced the most bank and armored-car robbers than anywhere else in the country.
The Town directed by Ben Affleck who also stars as the crews leader plays Doug MacRay. The film opens with a bank robbery with Ben Affleck (Doug MacRay) and his co-star Jeremy Renner (Jem) and two other friends robbing a local bank. The bank Manager Claire played by Rebecca Hall is taken hostage as a result of some unplanned mishaps during the robbery. Claire is later released unharmed.
Claire and Doug become the romantic centerpiece of The Town very similar to Matt Damon and Mini Rogers in Good Will Hunting. This writing formula has been very effective by Affleck winning him an academy award for his screenplay for Good Will Hunting. The similarities of the two films are there although the story is different. Doug in The Town like Will in Good Will Hunting were both abandoned by their parents. Will an orphan and Doug left by his mother as a child and his father serving 3 life sentences in prison. Chris Cooper plays Affleck's father.
Affleck builds on the relationship between Doug and Claire while battling his roots of Charlestown and the neighborhood code of "you can't leave" as Jem explains. Jem would prefer to take out Claire rather than risk her snitching on Doug, Jem and his other two friends.
Doug sees things a different way and vows to his crew to take care of Claire. Doug seeks out Claire to be sure she is not cooperating with the feds. His first mission is to be certain Claire can't identify his crew as the bank robbers. Doug is drawn to Claires purity and wants her to stay alive. Jem on the other hand will do everything he needs to to prevent a life in prison.
Jem who had a 9 year stretch in prison for murder which is explained in the film what he did to end up there makes Jem think that Doug owes him forever.
The film flows at a fast pace with a wonderful supporting cast led by Jon Hamm from Mad Man as the F.B.I. agent Frawley who is leading the investigation to take down Affleck's crew. Agent Frawley (Jon Hamm) recognizes immediately the just how much of a genius Doug's is in his field of bank and armored-car robberies. This draws another similarity to Damon's character in Good Will Hunting.
Doug reaches a point in his life that he wants out of the game but will have to leave his friends behind, Jem does not like this at all. After an altercation amongst the friends they agree to do one more heist that turns out to be the climax of the film.
Like Damon's character Will, Doug will be faced with walking away from all he knows in order to start a new life instead of winding up dead or in jail for the rest of his life like his father. Doug like Will also wants to land the girl in the end.
The Town was more than enjoyable and Jeremy Rennar nailed it with his character Jem. Rennar plays these intense rolls extremely well which he has proved earlier in last years acaf=demy award winning film The Hurt Locker.
I don't think The Town will win best Screen play at the Oscars like Good Will Hunting but I do think The Town will receive nominations and do well at the box office.
By Peter Tosto
Want to know if you won the largest Power Ball Jackpot ever. Here are the winning numbers for the May 18th, 2013 winning numbers for the over $600 million dollar jack pot. Powerball Winning Numbers 22 10 13 14 52 Power Ball 11
Released On: 5/19/2013
Views: 13583
The winning numbers for Powerball 5-23-16-22-29 Powerball 6: $550 million Powerball jackpot the largest in history. After a frantic day that saw hopeful players buying tickets at the rate of 131,000 every minute, lottery officials in Orlando, ...
Released On: 11/29/2012
Views: 13180
The Los Angeles Lakers the NBA reigning champs went down big in game 1 of the best of seven series against the visiting New Orleans Hornets.
Released On: 4/18/2011
Views: 9083
The Grizzlies the number 8 seed won their first playoff game against the San Antonio Spurs in San Antonio. Charles Barkley has picked the Grizzlies to win the seven game series in a bold prediction on TNT .
Released On: 4/18/2011
Views: 8481
Pacquiao dominated the bigger Margarito through all 12 rounds. The Judges gave the Champion the vast majority of all 12 rounds. One Judge gave all 12 rounds to Paquiao
Released On: 11/14/2010
Views: 12303
Manny Pacquiao has been considered to be the best fighter in the world. Pacquiao has won titles in seven divisions and will be going for his eighth division tonight against Margarito who comes it seventeen pounds heavier.
Released On: 11/14/2010
Views: 11149
Veterans Day falls on November 10th, 2010.Thursday in the United States. Veterans Day was started in 1919 by then President Woodraw Wilson. It was first called Armistice Day. In 1954 Congress renamed the holiday Veterans Day.
Released On: 11/11/2010
Views: 11254
If you have forgotten to turn your clocks back by 1 hour now is the time. Most areas observer daylight savings time in the United States.
Released On: 11/7/2010
Views: 9939
The New York Knicks went into Chicago Thursday night after their Tuesday night game against the Orlando Magic was canceled due to asbestos in Madison Square Garden. The Knicks seemed well rested and ready to run the Bulls right off the floor in t ...
Released On: 11/5/2010
Views: 7944
Andy Irons died this morning at a hotel in Dallas. The surfing legend stopped over in Dallas after falling ill due to reports.
Released On: 11/3/2010
Views: 8844
The trio came to Jersey to take care of the New Jersey Nets beating them by 23 points. The Heat outscored the Nets the first 3 quarters by 24 points in the 4th the Nets outscored the Heat by 1. Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh all logged ...
Released On: 11/1/2010
Views: 7791
The New York Jets who find themselves in a tie for first with the New England Patriots will be rooting for the Minnesota Vikings this week. The Jets who currently hold the tie breaker against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots will be hoping ...
Released On: 10/31/2010
Views: 11545
The Bulls received a tremendous hand from their center Joakim Noah who pulled down 17 rebounds. Noah had 8 offensive rebounds to go along with 9 defensive. The Bulls controlled the boards out rebounding the Pistons 51 to 44.
Released On: 10/31/2010
Views: 8497
Yao Ming who is being limited to 24 minutes a game logged 23 minutes scoring 14 poimts and pulling down 6 boards. Luis Scola showed up again going 12-16 from the fiels and pulling down 4 offensive rebounds for a total of 10 to go along with 2 blo ...
Released On: 10/31/2010
Views: 7976
The Cavs were held to 15 points in the thrird quarter being outscored 31-15. The 16 points seemed to be the difference as the Cavs attempted to climb back in it the Kings held them off taking the win in Cleveland 107 to 104.
Released On: 10/31/2010
Views: 7132
The Hornets took a 16 point lead into the 4th led by no other than their PG Chris Paul who tallied up 25 points on the night to go with his 5 assists.
Released On: 10/31/2010
Views: 6803
John Wall led all scorers in his second NBA game to tally up 28 points on the night in 42 minutes. The Rookie Wall hit better than 50% from the field going 9 for 17 while dishing out 9 assists. The Wizards were without Gilbert Arenas again. The W ...
Released On: 10/31/2010
Views: 7140