Movie #57- "The Town" (2010)

You have to credit Ben Affleck with an amazing second act.  He wins a screenwriting Oscar as his career is starting to take off.  He stars in some big, box office successes, then makes several bad choices, with the low point culminating at "Gigli" (several classic films I haven't seen, yet I've seen "Gigli... as bad as advertised).  So he mounts the comeback, taking lesser roles in smaller films, working his way to the director's chair.  Affleck has now directed three major motion pictures.  Two of them he had a hand in the screenplay, to show that "Good Will Hunting" wasn't a fluke.  All three films are solid works.
Affleck's secret seems like a simple recipe... surround yourself with quality actors.  You look at the list of talent he has worked with, and it's quite impressive.  Each of his films has netted one Oscar nomination in an acting category.  Even when Affleck is in the main role, he is able to blend with the ensemble.  I didn't think he was showy in "Argo" and in "The Town", he leaves the heavy lifting to Jeremy Renner.
My only problem with "The Town" was the ending.  I felt the script played it too safe with the Aflleck character.  On the flip side, most movies about criminals center around one heist, and "The Town" gave us three, exciting crimes.  Now that Affleck has gotten out of Boston with his story telling, I'm curious as to where he'll go next.


Rating: 8/10
Movies I've previously seen: 4
First time viewings: 53