Beginning writers always get the same advice: "Write what you know". Ben Affleck must have listened to his writing teachers. Affleck returns to the Boston neighborhoods that served him well in his directing debut, "Gone, Baby Gone". This time it's for the story of a quartet of skilled bank robbers led by Affleck and Jeremy Renner who have to stay a step ahead of the FBI on the mean streets of Boston in "The Town". The complication in this Beantown story? A girl. And not just any girl. This girl is a former victim of the crew who may or may not be the key to their downfall. As played by Rebecca Hall (who is rapidly becoming one of my favorite ingenues)the victimized bank manager begins a relationship with Affleck and as every good bank robber should know, the mix of love and criminal enterprise seldom ends well (footnote: Bonnie and Clyde).
The strength of this entry into the crime genre category lies in the authenticity of its character, its dialogue and its setting. Affleck knows Boston streets and Boston people. Yeah, "authentic" is a good word for this film.
My major objection is the choice to rob Fenway Park. Really? Steal two million dollars from the Red Sox? That's enough cash for a utility infielder or a decent reliever (which Lord knows they need). Affleck of all people should know better.
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