Review: The Town

17:30 23 February 2011

Title: The Town (2010)

Release date: 31 January 2011

Certificate: 15

Format: Blu-ray

RRP: £24.99

Rating: 4/5

Reviewed by Hayley Merrick


Set in a blue-collar yet high-crime area of Boston, The Town follows Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), the brains behind a bank-robbing gang.

He works alongside his long-time friend and loose-cannon Jem (Jeremy Renner), who wonÂ’t let MacRay forget that he owes him, after he went to prison for job that they were both involved in.

MacRay’s looking for that elusive ‘last job’ but no one is keen to lose him and ultimately Jem would see it as a betrayal.

But MacRayÂ’s world is turned upside down when the masked men take a young, middle-class bank manager Claire (Rebecca Hall) hostage during a heist.

MacRay keeps an eye on his witness as she is interviewed by the FBI, intending to ‘deal with her’, but his interest in Claire turns out to be far from professional.

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It gets personal, as the two embark on a relationship, one that endangers the gang itself.

She still has no idea who he really is or about his double life and DougÂ’s new emotional vulnerability creates a wealth of tension between him and Jem.

Affleck is key to the whole film; with Renner adding a certain energy and Mad Men's John Hamm bringing much needed control and depth, as the FBI agent on the gangs trail.

However overall, this hardboiled crime drama is excellent. The action is kept alive throughout the film, with the robbery scenes at both the start and finish terrifically well done.

The Town is this yearÂ’s must-see; you wonÂ’t be disappointed.

The Town is available to own on DVD and Blu-ray Triple Play, loaded with extended cut and extra features, now.