The Town
As out look at the best of Ben Affleck draws to a close the penultimate movie under the spotlight is The Town.
It was back in 2010 when this movie hit the big screen and it was Affleck's second outing as director - not to mention the first time that he had directed himself.
So was he set to continue his success behind the camera?
The Town really was a triumph as Affleck showed that Gone Baby Gone was not a fluke and he was a director that we should all be keeping a very close eye on.
We have seen a whole host of crime/drama movies in recent years and yet there was something incredibly fresh about this movie.
It hooks you from start to finish as the script deliver a host of interesting character with ever more interesting dynamics.
Affleck delivered a great performance as Doug MacRay - a criminal with a heart and you can't help but root for him throughout.
Jeremy Renner built on his performance in The Hurt Locker with another great turn as the incredibly violent and unpredictable James.
This was also a breakthrough movie for Blake Lively as she showed that she was more than just a good looking girl from a hit TV series - she really is very good in this movie.
The Town is an old fashion heist movie that sees the tension levels rise with the pace but there is a love story at the heart of this film.
And Affleck balances these two very important aspects well; the heist aspect is needed to drive the movie forward while the romance is important to keep the audience on side with Doug.
The Town is a hard hitting crime film that is compelling from start to finish and really did show that Affleck was a force behind the camera.
If Gone Baby Gone caught people's attention then this movie made them sit upright and really take note.
Argo is out now - read out review of the movie here.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Ben Affleck