Review of The Town (2010) by Luke R — 30 Dec 2012

Acting is fine, the film is well directed, but not that believable. Lots of attention has been paid to making the film's details appear realistic. Lots of action, but also lots of violence which was not cool. Of course, its a gangster and bank robber film, so certain level of violence is expected.

Rebecca Hall and Ben Afflect work well together and the story is very well planned. Affleck is sort of sympathetic, and Hall is both and pretty. All the action and chase scenes were well done. At one point I was like, what, am I hearing Al Pacino in the Heat when Affleck was speaking.

The story is well done and the storytelling flows really well forward. Harsh story with a couple of out-of-place soft characters. Some sort of contextual frame flips in and out of the harshness yet comes back at it and then attempts to flee from it in the end, without really being able to do so after all.

Some crude language and references to jail violence doesn't necessarily mean its a realistic movie. It was also odd that the police and the FBeye were made to seem so incompetent.

A bit confusing film, because it has an odd taste of souped up hollywood romantic utopia and gritty realism. Seemed improbable and unlikely in its confusing mixture of lenience on the 'nice guys' and overall harshness. Nice people captured in a maelstrom of disgusting violence - had this been gritty realism, they might not have gotten out of it. So is the reviewer cynical, or is there a glimmer of 'love conquers all' attitude -- Isn't it a bit naive here, considering what the central character has to do to get out.. However, in retrospect, the film left overall a balanced and all around well-thought-of impression. It was filmed, well-directed.