BEN AFFLECK

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BB.5. 

USA, 2010.  Warner Bros., Legendary Entertainment, GK Films, Thunder Road Pictures.  Screenplay by Peter Craig, Ben Affleck, Aaron Stockard, based on the novel Prince Of Thieves by Chuck Hogan.  Cinematography by Robert Elswit.  Produced by Basil Iwanyk, Graham King.  Music by David Buckley, Harry Gregson-Williams. Production Design by Sharon Seymour.  Costume Design by Susan Matheson.  Film Editing by Dylan Tichenor.  

Ben Affleck follows up his excellent directorial debut Gone Baby Gone with another look at the tougher side of Boston, and this time gives himself a leading role.  He, Jeremy Renner and their crew make up a group of criminals who are part of the reason that the majority of the country’s bank robbers come from the suburb of Charlestown, Massachusetts. After a heist sees them take a young woman (Rebecca Hall) hostage, Affleck becomes enamored of her and starts seeing her socially (without her knowing who he is), at the same time preparing for another robbery that sees him starting to doubt his desire to keep up his life of crime. It’s a small concept spread out over a big movie and without good reason; Affleck displays the grand themes of a character looking to break out of his destructive lifestyle but it’s not deeply felt or moving. Despite great acting, sharp editing and cinematography, only Renner’s character is memorable (and even then mainly by comparison) and the plot does very little to keep the viewer enraptured. It’s a familiar bank robber movie with the added details of its setting only partly succeeding in setting apart from others.

Academy Award Nomination:  Best Supporting Actor (Jeremy Renner)

Golden Globe Award Nomination: Best Supporting Actor (Jeremy Renner)

Screen Actors Guild Award Nomination:  Best Supporting Actor (Jeremy Renner)

Toronto International Film Festival:  2010