HBO Max Offers Essential Viewing: Ben Affleck’s Crime Thriller
streaming on HBO Max. Two years prior to his third directorial outing, “Argo,” clinching Best Picture at the Oscars, Affleck presented a quintessential Boston thriller brimming with grit, explosive violence, and a deep-seated admiration for the locale that shaped him.
At its essence, 2010’s “The Town” is a classic heist film layered with neo-noir elements that tracks a small, close-knit band of criminals who sustain themselves by executing bank robberies. They operate with a level of efficiency and precision that implies an upbringing steeped in crime — a way of life where savvy and illicit expertise are passed down through the ages. The group’s leader is Doug MacRay (Affleck), a genuine Bostonian yearning to escape the life of crime. He genuinely wishes to turn his back on this existence, but there always seems to be another “final job” where things take a turn for the worse.
In this instance, it’s yet another heist during which they take a hostage while attempting to escape, blindfold her, and subsequently release her. To ensure she remains silent about the incident, Doug opts to monitor her — a decision that his hot-tempered best friend Jem (Jeremy Renner) contests, advocating for simply eliminating the girl — and before long, he finds himself falling for her. Naturally, complications ensue, the crew’s subsequent heist goes awry, and an FBI pursuit to apprehend the team unfolds in rapid succession.




