A longtime thief, planning his next job, tries to balance his feelings for a bank manager connected to an earlier heist, and a hell-bent F.B.I Agent looking to bring him and his crew down.
The Charlestown neighborhood of Boston is renowned for churning out a high number of armed robbers, generation after generation. These robbers never leave their Charlestown life on their own volition, the neighborhood where there is an unwritten code to protect that lifestyle. Such robbers include friends Doug MacRay, James Coughlin, Albert 'Gloansy' Magloan and Desmond Elden. Doug and James in particular treat each other like family, as the Coughlins have realistically been as such to Doug since Doug's mother ran off and Doug's father, Stephen MacRay, was sent to prison. James' single mother sister, the drugged out Krista Coughlin, and Doug have a casual sexual relationship. The foursome carry out a mostly successful bank robbery, but due to circumstances take the bank manager, Claire Keesey, hostage for a short period before releasing her physically unharmed. They find out that Claire lives in Charlestown, so they want to ensure that she did not see anything that could incriminate ...Written by
Huggo
Jeremy Renner and Rebecca Hall both star in the MCU. Rebecca Hall in Iron Man 3 and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye in the MCU. See more »
Goofs
When McCray is calling into the Fenway Park cash room, he tells one of the counters his hometown is Quincy, pronounced "Quint-see." A Boston native would pronounce it "Quin-zee." See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Doug MacRay:
[narrating]
Driver's name is Arthur Shea. Former Metro Police officer, fifty-seven years old. Soon as his partner leaves with the coal bag, Artie cracks a Herald, and he don't look up 'til the guy gets back. Marty Maguire. Cummins Armored courier. Five-ten, two-twenty, fifty-two years old. Picks up every Wednesday and Friday at exactly 8:12, makes a hundred and ten dollars a day, carries a Sig nine. And he's about to get robbed.
[...] See more »
Crazy Credits
Nothing contained herein constitutes any endorsement by the Massachusetts Department of Correction. See more »
Alternate Versions
The 152-minute extended cut has the following additions and changes:
When Frawley and Dino examine the burnt-out getaway car, Dino says that he's also from Charlestown and although there are witnesses, the police are unlikely to get a single response. Frawley deduces that the robbery gang are a new band since he had put away most of the professional gangs away in jail.
During Frawley's interrogation with Claire, he reveals more details including robbery statistics including bank robbery being a common thing in Charlestown. However, her question of whether she can get a lawyer has been removed. Doug and James try to replace the robbed money by buying marijuana from a dealer and selling to another dealer.
Since the visit to the drug dealer has been shown, Frawley's briefing to the team has been replaced with more shots in the casino and Doug's team taking drugs.
When Doug and Krista talk in the bar, there's more dialogue by her that makes her character more unappealing and establishing her as a xenophobic.
James stops Krista from hitting Doug before the latter leaves for home. While watching Heat on television, Krista shows up at his apartment before segmenting into the sex scene. Doug later plays puck briefly.
The first date between Doug and Claire has been removed in place of a new scene where Claire tells Doug that during the robbery, her assistant manager David was hit by James' rifle butt many times that he had to go for an eye surgery. They head to the hospital to see him.
At the hospital, David is revealed to be permanently blind on one eye, as a result of James' outburst of violence. A police officer on duty rants about robbers that makes Doug more aggrieved.
A 4-minute scene between Doug and Claire after the restaurant (he learns that the owner is also a friend that uses to play ice hockey with him). He explains about the definition of the slang "Tunie" but lies about his parents, while Claire says she's from Marblehead. Doug also points out that juveniles hold robbers of high-regard like rock stars.
Frawley meets Claire again because of missing information, specifically she didn't tell him that she lives in Charlestown, and intimidating her for being suspicious.
Doug and James beat the two gangsters that harassed Claire. They make it look like a drug deal gone wrong. More beatings on Alex. (note: this pays off more significantly at the end of the Alternate cut)
Extra line by Doug to James: "You hate prison but you can't wait to get caught."
Extra line by James during the second robbery: "He didn't want to end up on the wall of the VFW."
Before Gloansy's turn in the interrogation scene, James calls for lawyer, and Doug deliberately speaks too fast and fuzzily on the microphone.
The scene where Doug gives Claire a necklace (actually a robbed loot) and her quitting the job plays out differently. In the new cut, it takes place at a park. Now she says that she had voluntarily quit her post and plans to be teacher or a social worker in Charlestown. However she remains uncertain of him as she is unsure whether he was involved in the attack of the two of her molesters. Frawley becomes more suspicious of her when he sees the necklace after being asked to leave.
Doug berates James for accepting another job from Fergus, but is told he's can't simply leave because of Krista and her daughter. When he doesn't see himself as a father (because of her going out with a lot of men), they fight. James then recalls of Brendan, a man killed by Doug able to walk away after being shot.
Now that the relationship between him and Claire has crashed, Doug gets some cocaine, sits in an abandoned vehicle and fires his gun until blank. This scene is meant to show that his abstinence is over and he is ready for one final heist plus his resolve to kill Fergus. He meets Krista again to tell her that he will disappear for a while after the job.
Frawley narrates the jury of the hug contest story to Krista. This scene shows a contrast of reaction between Claire's (natural) and Krista's (mimic / artificial ).
The robbery team's diversion is restored. Dez the decoy, takes the company car home for the weekend, while an FBI-agent (as a jogger) plants the transmitter in the van. This pays off moments later in an added scene when Frawley and Dino fell for it.
James explains why he couldn't quit his crimes. Doug bids goodbye in contempt.
During the robbery, Desmond calls Doug a coward for suggesting to surrender.
CCTV shots during Doug and Fergus' shootout.
The final exchange between Frawley and Claire has been moved up and has dialogue, making him more distrustful of her.
To say that The Town is everything Takers tried to be and failed at would actually be an insult to Ben Affleck's latest film. Mentioning that bland rehashing in the same breath would imply they even exist on the same plane, but the honest truth is this gritty Boston crime drama is something special and the best film of the early fall season.
Affleck's first foray into directing with the Dennis Lehane adaptation Gone Baby Gone shocked viewers and the critical community in kind, showing that a fading acting career does not mean one is down-and-out in Hollywood. Affleck marries his two passions in The Town, directing, producing and writing the film as well as starring in the lead role, his first since 2003's Paycheck. He owns this comeback performance, successfully wiping any lingering distaste from duds like Daredevil or Gigli. This is by no means a one-man show, but The Town has nothing close to a weak link, in fact, this may be one of the finest pieces of ensemble acting in years.
Joining Affleck in a supporting role is Jeremy Renner, fresh off his best actor Oscar nomination for The Hurt Locker and he beyond a doubt proves he is no one-hit wonder. This is Oscar-worthy acting yet again for Renner, nailing his Boston accent along with his loose-cannon mentality. He is terrifying, but impossible to pry your eyes away from. The most shocking revelation comes from Blake Lively (TV's "Gossip Girl") as a doped-up mother with more than a few issues. She is not only unrecognizable, but owns her role, never calling attention to her drastic deviation from type. Substantial buzz was also placed in the way of John Hamm from the acclaimed television drama Mad Men. He is sufficiently pompous as a dedicated FBI agent also scoring a number of the films laughs.
Before I wander too much further into specifics, the characters in The Town populate a Boston suburb called Charlestown, which an introductory message informs us, is the world-center for bank robbers. Affleck's Doug MacRay heads a team of those in such a profession including Renner as James Coughlin and two others played by Slaine, and Owen Burke. During one of their routine bank heists, they are forced to take a hostage (Rebecca Hall) during their hasty escape. Afterwards, to make sure she does not know anything incriminating following her release from captivity, MacRay follows her and inadvertently falls for her in the process.
There is nothing particularly revelatory about The Town, there are few surprises or much that deviates from a standard crime drama. But Affleck directs with such skill and confidence while showcasing yet another peek into suburban Boston that it is never less than riveting. There is an overlying sense of impeding dread that perforates The Town and a handful of sensational action sequences do little to let up the firm grasp the film has on our windpipes. Propelled by faultless acting and a pitch- perfect script, this slice of the Boston criminal underworld is everything for which we could have hoped following such a bland summer. Affleck has always been a star, and if he continues to produce films of this pedigree, then there might be hope for the movies yet.
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To say that The Town is everything Takers tried to be and failed at would actually be an insult to Ben Affleck's latest film. Mentioning that bland rehashing in the same breath would imply they even exist on the same plane, but the honest truth is this gritty Boston crime drama is something special and the best film of the early fall season.
Affleck's first foray into directing with the Dennis Lehane adaptation Gone Baby Gone shocked viewers and the critical community in kind, showing that a fading acting career does not mean one is down-and-out in Hollywood. Affleck marries his two passions in The Town, directing, producing and writing the film as well as starring in the lead role, his first since 2003's Paycheck. He owns this comeback performance, successfully wiping any lingering distaste from duds like Daredevil or Gigli. This is by no means a one-man show, but The Town has nothing close to a weak link, in fact, this may be one of the finest pieces of ensemble acting in years.
Joining Affleck in a supporting role is Jeremy Renner, fresh off his best actor Oscar nomination for The Hurt Locker and he beyond a doubt proves he is no one-hit wonder. This is Oscar-worthy acting yet again for Renner, nailing his Boston accent along with his loose-cannon mentality. He is terrifying, but impossible to pry your eyes away from. The most shocking revelation comes from Blake Lively (TV's "Gossip Girl") as a doped-up mother with more than a few issues. She is not only unrecognizable, but owns her role, never calling attention to her drastic deviation from type. Substantial buzz was also placed in the way of John Hamm from the acclaimed television drama Mad Men. He is sufficiently pompous as a dedicated FBI agent also scoring a number of the films laughs.
Before I wander too much further into specifics, the characters in The Town populate a Boston suburb called Charlestown, which an introductory message informs us, is the world-center for bank robbers. Affleck's Doug MacRay heads a team of those in such a profession including Renner as James Coughlin and two others played by Slaine, and Owen Burke. During one of their routine bank heists, they are forced to take a hostage (Rebecca Hall) during their hasty escape. Afterwards, to make sure she does not know anything incriminating following her release from captivity, MacRay follows her and inadvertently falls for her in the process.
There is nothing particularly revelatory about The Town, there are few surprises or much that deviates from a standard crime drama. But Affleck directs with such skill and confidence while showcasing yet another peek into suburban Boston that it is never less than riveting. There is an overlying sense of impeding dread that perforates The Town and a handful of sensational action sequences do little to let up the firm grasp the film has on our windpipes. Propelled by faultless acting and a pitch- perfect script, this slice of the Boston criminal underworld is everything for which we could have hoped following such a bland summer. Affleck has always been a star, and if he continues to produce films of this pedigree, then there might be hope for the movies yet.