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The Town The Town is a 2010 film that takes place in Boston, Massachusetts. The movie was co-written and directed by Ben Affleck. Lisa Schwarzbaum from EW.com comments: “Affleck the director, it turns out, has a real feel for making movies about atmospheric grit and the collision of urban law, order, and disorder.” Affleck plays the role of Doug MacRay; he is a smart and confident thief that often runs into trouble with the law. He lives in Charlestown, which is a small community inside of Boston known for the crimes that have taken place there, robberies being the most frequent. Robberies inside of Charlestown have become a hobby passed down from generation to generation. MacRay and three life-long friends make their living the same way their fathers did, by robbing. Lisa Schwarzbaum also quotes: “Affleck nails the rhythms of coexistence between neighborhood crooks and regular joes.” The movie begins with MacRay and his friends pulling off one of their largest bank robberies in their career. During their time in the bank, MacRay meets a bank manager named Claire Keesey, who is played by Rebecca Hall. His friend, James Couglin, known as “Jem,” takes Keesey hostage out of paranoia. He believed that Claire saw one of his tattoos and does not want her telling the police. The group eventaully lets her go without harming her. Although nothing has been reported to the police, “Jem” believes he needs to stalk her and make her worried about turning in any evidence. Affleck assumes this role after persuading “Jem” that he could do jail time for more offenses. Instead of stalking Claire, MacRay befriends her during a time of need. They eventually start a romantic relationship while MacRay’s true profession remains hidden. Mike McGranaghan from Rotten Tomatoes comments that the emotional action in The Town is just as gripping as the physical action. The remainder of the movie centers on the irony of MacRay holding inside a secret from Claire that begins to haunt him. He feels guilty of his past crimes and wants to leave his team behind and start a different life. After further evidence of MacRay’s involvement in several robberies is released, he and Claire are now under police observation. MacRay has to deal with the struggle between what he wants and what he cannot let go. The closing scenes test Claire’s faithfulness to MacRay, and MacRay’s faithfulness to his friends. Diva Velez says: “The Town is a worthy entry into the pantheon of great cops and robbers films.” I would definitely recommend watching this movie to anyone who enjoys movies with intense action and a romantic side. I found it interesting how the four member team prepared themselves for their robberies and how they devised plans. You will have to watch the movie to find out what happens between Claire and MacRay after his final mission: robbing Fenway Park!

Works Cited: Lisa, Schwarzbaum. "The Town." EW.com. EW.com, Sep 21, 2010. Web. 3 Feb 2011. <[]>. Flixster,. "The Town (2010)." Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster, n.d. Web. Feb 3, 2011. <[]>.