Essentially, "The Town" (an unimaginative title, by the way) is a basic cops 'n robbers action adventure that entertains with a lot of heart-pumping chase scenes - but, in the final anaylsis - is just the same old same old.
Ben Affleck - Oscar-winner (Good Will Hunting / Best Screenplay) - helmed the project which he also stars in.
Indeed, there is nothing terrible original about this studio-backed flick (the celluloid reels slid into the can @ $37 mil), that sets it apart.
In fact, it appears that the screenwriters (of which Ben Affleck was one) lifted a few ideas from a handful of ground-breaking flicks of yesteryear that transformed the genre, in a sly effort to drum up a magic formula for commercial success.
Bank robbers in jarring masks, bold-faced smash-and-grab heists, and bloody high-speed get-a-aways are a bit played out - don't 'ya think - Ben?
Uh-huh!
The 2 1/2 hour plus tribute to Affleck's ego is a tad old-hat.
As a director, though, the Boston kid showed a lot of promise.
Frankly, I was - not only keen on the way he framed quite a few of the shots - but also blown away by the moods he managed to evoke with a confident brush that articulated his passions.
Once again, Jeremy Renner (who played a boyhood pal and street thug) dazzled audiences with a ballsy performance that was mesmerizing.
In fact, all the supporting players turned in stand-out portrayals that resonated on screen.
"The Town" is not thought-provoking high-brow art, but will undoubtedly rustle up quite a few ticket sales at box offices around the country.
Popcorn sells, after all!
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