The Town
The worst part about "The Town" is probably the glowing reviews that it's getting. Well, that and the leave no scene unshown trailer. That being said, Ben Affleck's second trek into the directorial chair is an entertaining film. It's good not great. Honestly, I'm not even sure that it's better than "Gone Baby Gone".
The two biggest flaws the film (well, the ones I can discuss without spoilers) is that the structure seems a little loose and it's very been there and done that. The nice guy criminal who wants to get out. The new girl he wants to be with and the old one that wants to keep him. The crazy partner/friend who might get him in too deep. These are stock characters and the heists are nothing. This is most certainly not a "heist movie" because the actual robberies are treated as little more than plot devices. (Although this might bring up a debate about how one defines a heist film - is it just about robbers or does the heist itself have to be almost a character in the film (ala the Ocean's films)
Now, this is probably coming off as a harsh review but I did like the film and it is one of the better films in this woeful year at the cinema. It was very well made and the actors all did a great job. There were some laugh out loud lines (including one that only long time Sox fans will get) and it's only two hours and five minutes so the pacing is solid and it never takes itself too seriously.
So I'd definitely recommend the film but I would tell people to go in with lowered expectations and not expect a classic, a great film, or something that reinvented the wheel. It's just good (which is a welcome relief this year.)
For a SPOILER-filled response, keep reading.
Again, warning, SPOILERS!!!!
In the end, this film has a flaw that a lot of crime films have: we're supposed to be happy when our hero gets away but all our hero's really done to gain this emotion is not be the most evil person in his group. There's no real redemption for Dougy besides the fact that he was a decent enough guy for a bank robber. The bit about the mom seemed like it was in their just so he could have a reason for offing the Florist and his henchman. The ending simply isn't that satisfying because it's not like justice was done. A guy living a shitty life escaped by breaking the law.
The other issue with the film is that there were really no choices to be made. There was never really a need to kill anyone. The only time he really made a choice (not doing the last job), one of the two options was eliminated for him by The Florist so he was stuck with the one answer. The kid wasn't his so it wasn't his responsibility and it's not like you could really ever have any sympathy for Blake Lively's character since she was a mess. Maybe you could think that he should take the kid but that wasn't really an option (although it might have been a better ending. Maybe, maybe not.) The film was basically a guy with no options and his back against the wall doing just enough to get away clean. It was entertaining but not fulfilling. It's like a tasty Lean Cuisine meal. It did the job but you didn't love it and it really isn't all that healthy (or in this case, artistic) when it comes right down to it.
