Affleck's big night out on The Town

Grade: B+

Earning money the ethical way is so last year.

Ben Affleck gets back behind the camera to show the rich, but not always famous, lifestyle of a bank robber.

With his 2007 directorial debut Gone Baby Gone, Affleck showed people that his lack of acting skills is made up for with his directing capabilities. His follow up, The Town, continues to display his talent behind the lens.

Affleck does fantastic job helming the lens. Quick cuts and gritty shots make the action in the movie seem less over the top, and gives the film a realistic feel to bank robberies. The excellent camera work helps add to the immersion and make the viewer feel as if they were in the bank.

The film's opening sequence is beautifully shot and automatically engages the audience. The intense five minute scene is not only used to dazzle the crowd, but it also creates the outline for the whole movie.

"The townies," as they're affectionately referred to, include Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck, Extract), James Coughlin (Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker), Albert "Gloansy" Magloan (Slaine, Gone Baby Gone) and Desmond Elden (Owen Burke, May the Best Man Win). They all grew up in Charlestown, the biggest hotbed for bank robbers in the world.

Proving that some people are truly a product of their environment, the four are first shown on screen planning their next heist. When the plan is set in motion, a few problems arise, including Coughlin brutally assaulting the bank's manager unprovoked.

Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall, Frost/Nixon), the bank's assistant manager, is abducted as a hostage for the crew to get away.

As MacRay and Keesey's relationship blossoms, MacRay becomes more and more uncomfortable with him and Keesey living in Charlestown. Because of this, MacRay starts toying with the thought of leaving the game for a new life in Florida.

However, with FBI Special Agent Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm, Madmen) on his trail, getting out of Charlestown proves to be more difficult than MacRay envisioned.

The acting in The Town is what truly sets the movie apart. Every character is played to perfection, something rarely seen in modern day cinema. Even Affleck shines in it, which is no easy feat for him.

Coughlin is excellently portrayed as one man you wouldn't want to cross. Renner's performance is guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine as the psychotic sidekick.

Hall shows the side effects of being taken hostage as well as any actress could. From the neurotic tendencies to the full-blown Stockholm syndrome, Hall's character is one of the most believable performances throughout the movie.

However, it's the man that stands in opposition of MacRay that is also the one that sticks out the most. Hamm does a remarkable job portraying the veteran detective Frawley and shows the deceitfulness that federal agents are able to use when trying to catch a criminal. Hamm does such a great job in the role that it'seasy to forget that he is an actor and not an actual federal agent.

Throughout the film, Charlestown natives are shown to be, and often referred to as, a family. This is a major motif of The Town. Several times during the film, the concept of family is looked at in a different way to make the audience question what family truly means.

While The Town might not be as good as Affleck's first attempt at directing, it is a great follow up. From the acting to the action, The Town is a high intensity thrill ride that will keep viewers on edge until the credits roll.

Hopefully for movie fans the world over, Affleck's directing career is long from over.

E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com