--- title: "The Town" year: 2010 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-town" fi1m_score: 77 critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 18 published: "2026-09-17T07:27:18.812328+00:00" updated: "2026-09-17T07:27:19.371263+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Town (2010) Directed by Ben Affleck · 2h 05m · MPA R · Crime, Drama, Thriller **Fi1m score: 77** · Critics 71 from 18 reviews *In a sentence:* Ben Affleck gives his bank robbers excellent timing and rather generous character references > Ben Affleck’s heist thriller earns its tension through clear action and a strong cast, with Jeremy Renner supplying the danger. The romance is more conventional, and the film gives its leading bank robber too much benefit of the doubt. ## Synopsis In Charlestown, Boston, bank robber Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) is caught between criminal loyalties and a romance with Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall). His partner, James “Jem” Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), brings a volatile temper to work that depends on control. FBI S.A. Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm) represents the law confronting their robberies. Doug tries to keep his personal attachments and his criminal life from pulling each other apart, while the people around him give him conflicting reasons to stay loyal. The robberies, the relationship and the ties to his neighbourhood leave little room for separate lives. ## Review Ben Affleck’s *The Town* is a good heist thriller with a habit of being too kind to its leading man. The robberies are tense, the company is well chosen, and the Boston setting gives familiar criminal loyalties a convincing home. Its director wants us to care about Doug MacRay when the action stops, which is a reasonable ambition. He also wants us to accept Doug’s feelings as grounds for considerable leniency. He plays Doug MacRay himself. Robert Elswit’s cinematography and Sharon Seymour’s production design give the Boston setting a persuasive familiarity. The surroundings feel lived in, which matters when so much of the drama depends on attachments that are difficult to break. Both do useful work establishing a place we can believe these people belong to. The polish occasionally becomes too attractive for a film asking us to take the damage done by these men seriously. Dylan Tichenor’s editing is firmer about what needs our attention. The robberies move quickly without reducing the work to an indistinct rush, and the director understands how much tension comes from watching capable people carry out something dangerous. We were gripped, and caught ourselves wanting the robbers to get away. The concentration on the job itself makes that response almost automatic, which is disquieting when we stop to consider whom we are supporting. Enough of the practical detail survives the cutting for us to follow what the men are doing. Jeremy Renner supplies the uncertainty that the action’s careful organisation needs. As James “Jem” Coughlin, he makes a hot-headed partner feel like someone whose next decision might become everybody else’s problem. Ben Affleck’s more restrained Doug MacRay gives him something solid to push against, and the difference between the performances keeps their scenes alert. The strain of dealing with Jem comes through without making Doug’s attachment to him look foolish. Their relationship is persuasive enough that we do not need the screenplay to keep pleading Doug’s case. Rebecca Hall gives Claire Keesey an emotional credibility that the romance does not always earn. She is attentive and unforced, and the connection with Doug has enough warmth to explain why the film spends time on it. The screenplay by Peter Craig, Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard nevertheless leans too heavily on the idea that a criminal’s capacity for tenderness should settle our doubts about him. We can understand the attraction and still want a harder look at his behaviour. The familiar sentimental passages feel particularly convenient beside the more exacting work of the robberies. Jon Hamm is welcome as FBI S.A. Adam Frawley because he brings an opposing authority into a film inclined to favour Doug. His presence helps prevent the pursuit from becoming a purely personal complaint against a misunderstood man. The music by Harry Gregson-Williams and David Buckley is effective at maintaining urgency, less helpful when it presses the romantic feeling. The quieter performances already make those exchanges matter, and the extra encouragement can feel unnecessary. *The Town* does not find much new in the capable criminal who might deserve another life, and its confidence can conceal how familiar the writing is. As a heist film, though, it understands the pleasure of a difficult job performed under pressure and gives its supporting actors room to complicate the man at the centre. That is enough for a worthwhile evening if crime thrillers are your preference. See it for Jeremy Renner and the robberies, and be prepared to forgive the romance more readily than we did. *Fi1m score 77, published 17 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics find The Town a confident, engaging heist thriller, with praise concentrated on Ben Affleck’s direction, the robbery sequences and a strong ensemble. Jeremy Renner receives particular attention for his intensity, while Rebecca Hall and Jon Hamm also draw favourable notices. The reviews repeatedly credit the film with a convincing sense of Boston’s working-class neighbourhoods. For many, the action has enough pace and precision to make familiar material compelling. The disagreement concerns how much substance supports that craft. Some critics find the romance touching and the characters persuasive; others see forced sentiment, stock roles and a conventional plot. The spread is fairly wide, though positive reviews comfortably outnumber reservations. Den of Geek praises the chemistry between Affleck and Hall, whereas Little White Lies finds the romantic subplots forced. Time Out offers the strongest dissent, arguing that the film lacks energy and treats its lead robber too sympathetically. ### Reviews we read (18) - **Empire**, Ian Freer (90/100, inferred): Affleck delivers a terrific crime thriller that is essential viewing, confirming his abilities as a director after Gone Baby Gone. The film excels in its compelling character dynamics, pitch-perfect performances (especially Jeremy Renner), and authentic sense of place in Charlestown. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/town-2-review/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (85/100, inferred): Affleck solidifies his directing reputation with a fast-paced, character-driven heist film that combines robberies and romance while showcasing strong performances and Boston authenticity. It is more confident and less self-conscious than his prior work. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-sep-17-la-et-town-20100917-story.html) - **The Times**, Cosmo Landesman (85/100, inferred): Ben Affleck realises his talent with The Town, the best heist movie since Heat. It is a gripping crime thriller and love story with great performances from the cast. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/the-town-wn67mrlnt9s) - **Radio Times**, Terry Staunton (4/5): The critic praises this smart and taut thriller in which Affleck directs with flair while playing a conflicted bank robber with subtlety. Jeremy Renner's intense performance as the hot-headed partner stands out above the rest of the strong cast. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-nsh2gh/the-town/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): The energy and confidence of Ben Affleck's direction in this blue-collar crime film commands attention despite some macho-sentimentalism. Strong performances from the cast, particularly Rebecca Hall and Jon Hamm, and well-executed robbery scenes stand out. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/sep/23/the-town-review) - **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (75/100, inferred): Affleck makes viewers root for the heists and crafts an engaging crime story with strong ensemble work, especially from Renner. It blends action with neighborhood authenticity but leans on familiar sentimental tropes. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/09/20/actors-dilemma) - **Screen Daily** (70/100, inferred): The critic notes the film may lack the ethical depth of Affleck's debut but succeeds as a stylish, exciting and entertaining crime thriller with romance. Tight scripting and excellent casting, especially Renner, Hall and Cooper in key roles, are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/the-town/5017923.article) - **The AV Club**, Sam Adams (B-): Affleck's second feature is looser and more assured than his debut but more conventional, with a boilerplate plot that is at times silly. The cast is used well, but the film feels hollow inside despite solid exteriors. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-town-1798165941) - **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (70/100, inferred): Affleck delivers a solid but minor Boston crime drama that is less florid or soulful than predecessors like The Departed or Gone Baby Gone. It excels in its lean action sequences, strong performances, and vivid sense of place. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/17/movies/17town.html) - **Evening Standard** (60/100, inferred): Affleck’s above-average but hardly distinctive thriller shows he knows the territory well and proves himself as both actor and director on a bigger canvas than Gone Baby Gone. The action is professionally done and supported by strong turns from supporting actors like Jon Hamm and Jeremy Renner. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/ben-affleck-steals-the-show-in-the-town-7421763.html) - **Little White Lies**, Adam Woodward (4/3/3): The critic finds the film delivers blistering set pieces and loud sound design but is undone by Hollywood gloss and a lack of deep character texture in its Boston crime story. Affleck the director shines in the action sequences while the romantic subplots and clichés feel forced. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-town) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, THR Staff (60/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's blue-collar authenticity and strong sense of place in Boston's working-class neighborhoods. However, the storytelling is less convincing, with characters remaining types and the outcome lacking emotional weight. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/town-film-review-29963/) - **Slant Magazine** (2/4): The film is slicker and louder but less idiosyncratic than Affleck's previous work, with nothing new beneath its nasty pleasures and Boston accents. It kills a couple hours with less pain than most studio genre fare but is ultimately near-beer as a follow-up. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-town/) - **Time Out**, David Jenkins (40/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a slick but inert cops-and-robbers yarn that feels indistinguishable from many similar predecessors. Affleck's direction nods to Mann and Lumet but the credibility suffers from overly sympathetic treatment of the lead robber. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-town-1) - **HeyUGuys**, Gary Phillips (85/100, inferred): The critic calls the film an utter triumph and the best thing Ben Affleck has done in his career to date. He singles out the intelligently crafted heist sequences for their detail, pace, and balance with character development. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-town-review/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (80/100, inferred): The critic finds The Town a thrilling ride worth taking, though not quite as emotionally powerful as Affleck's previous film. They single out the breathlessly exciting heist scenes and Affleck's direction for praise. [Read](https://collider.com/the-town-movie-review-ben-affleck-jeremy-renner/) - **Den of Geek**, Luke Savage (4/5): The critic finds The Town a conventional but effective heist film that also succeeds as an intimate drama and touching love story. They single out the visceral action set pieces and the believable chemistry between Affleck and Rebecca Hall for praise. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-town-review/) - **The Wrap** (75/100, inferred): The critic praises Affleck's direction in this crime thriller, noting its gritty sense of place and moral complexity of characters. Minor complaints about too many chase scenes and an overly upbeat ending. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/town-ok-now-you-can-mention-ben-affleck-clint-eastwood-same-breath-20924/) ## Details - **Director:** Ben Affleck - **Director:** Ben Affleck - **Screenplay:** Ben Affleck, Peter Craig, Aaron Stockard - **Novel:** Chuck Hogan - **Cinematography:** Robert Elswit - **Editor:** Dylan Tichenor - **Music:** Harry Gregson-Williams, David Buckley - **Production design:** Sharon Seymour - **Costume design:** Susan Matheson - **Producer:** Basil Iwanyk, Graham King - **Cast:** Ben Affleck as Doug MacRay; Jeremy Renner as James "Jem" Coughlin; Rebecca Hall as Claire Keesey; Jon Hamm as FBI S.A. Adam Frawley; Blake Lively as Krista Coughlin; Slaine as Albert "Gloansy" Magloan; Pete Postlethwaite as Fergus "Fergie" Colm; Owen Burke as Desmond "Dez" Elden - **Runtime:** 2h 05m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 17 September 2010 - **Genres:** Crime, Drama, Thriller - **Budget:** $37 million - **Box office:** $154 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAjECYnrYks ## Where to watch in the US - HBO Max: streaming - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd - Hulu: add-on, hd - Apple TV: rent $4.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $4.99, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $9.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-17.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2011: Best Supporting Actor (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Heat* (1995), Fi1m 91: Professional criminals, strained attachments and action that keeps every decision legible. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/heat.md) - *Rififi* (1955): A patient robbery sequence makes the smallest practical problem feel dangerous. - *The Friends of Eddie Coyle* (1973): Boston criminals negotiate loyalty with little romance and even less reassurance. - *Widows* (2018), Fi1m 83: A heist thriller that gives its characters’ private grief room to matter. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/widows.md) - *A Prophet* (2009), Fi1m 86: Crime becomes an education in dependence, patience and the careful use of violence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-prophet.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-town