FIRST EVAH' MOVIE REVIEW - Affleck Goes To TOWN On Fenway

To begin with…

This little overview is meant to give the initiated a closer look. One thing I really don’t like about movie critique is the unavoidable fact that at the end of the day whether or not I like a movie is COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE. There is no measurable or quantifiable scale. Critics can claim to write from some sort of scaled field based on film and/or storytelling techniques and acting, but a huge part of whether or not you like a movie will depend greatly on your own particular vantage point and experience. So in “reviewing” movies I’m not gonna get into “starring” or really grading these flicks. I’m just going to tell you what jumps out and marks the thing as special or otherwise. If yer with it lets get to it.

I’ll See you again..This side or the Other

Checked out The Town when it became available On Demand. Its crazy how many extracurricular activites can be undertaken without even leaving your house in this day and age. I guess we could even call this the “On Demand” era. If its not available without getting off the couch then you have already alienated some of your audience..:/

Digression. My bad. The Town, I felt, really delivered on several fronts. As could be expected, on some fronts the delivery order never showed up. Never the less I would be fully willing to tip Ben Affleck at least 20% for his service on this particular evening. Some specifically awesome points:

-       I lived in the North End of Boston for 2 years. I know the streets pretty well and most of Hanover’s side drags can barely accomadate one mega-SUV going in one direction (for some reason the preferred style of vehicle in this area of Boston…go figure) let alone the van-and-police-pursuit space capacity needed for filming the films remarkably dynamic chance sequence. Having my own knowledge of the layout here really help to appreciate the amount of work they must have put in to create the feelings of space here. Watching this unfold definitely portrays the lack of space in the North End roadways but at the same time the feeling of distance or overall area they create is amazing. The whole sequence was probably filmed within a 100 square-yard space. It feels like they make a serious border dash while yer watching the flick “CLOSE THE BRIDGE”…awesome.

-       The Eastern Mass accent has come a long way in filmmaking. People like Affleck are really beholden to try and make this work in movies and it NEVER does. Even in the Departed many of the accents leave something to be desired. It’s the weirdest thing when even people like Matt Damon can’t muster a believable accent. In The Town there are very few sequences that take you out of the movie-space by way of crummy accent. Its so annoying when that happens so props

-       The use of Fenway park is unprecedented and AMAZING. This sequence just really makes you feel like you are on Yawkey Way. I’m not sure how Fenway has kept itself by and large out of the film industry but the ballpark plays a visceral role in this yarn. Awesome.

-       One of Boston’s coolest and unique up-and-comers, the forever grime-coated hip-hop artist Slaine shows up in his second Affleck-directed role. The rapper shows a clear penchant for wearing the Bean on his sleeve. As a Mass native and sometimes Boston resident I really get why he is placed in these roles. Affleck made a super smart credibility move with this choice.

Issues…:

-       When Gone Baby Gone hit it became immediately clear that Ben Affleck, despite all evidence to the contrary, was a legitimate artist. His acting? Not necessarily the top of his skill set, but the guy can Write and Direct. Its science…. Gone Baby Gone also instantly solidified Casey Affleck as  true thespian. I think Ben may have thought that if his direction could so positively impact his brother’s acting career that he might be able to propel himself into the realm of serious actor as well. This, unfortunately for “B-Aff”, is not the case. Waaaay too many close-ups of his singular-emotively distressed mug.

-       Character development is weirdly flat here. There is no real sense of urgency    from Affleck in the lead role, nor from his main squeeze, Rebecca Hall, an actress who mostly likely benefited from being cast as a british woman, therefore not having to attempt the Boston Twang (remember the poor psychiatrist in The Departed? Ohhhh hun, don’t bother). One of the only characters who really jumps off the screen is Krista, portrayed by Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively in a really nice little turn. Unfortunately the character is benched for most of the flick.

I’m gonna pass this off on you people as a review. I’ve never reviewed a movie before, just spent a lot of time discussing them. I’m sure I’ll get better and with any luck a few people will tell me what they think and how to do it better VIA THE COMMENTS SECTION (hint). Please, I urge you to be crass. When people don’t use strong language with me the message doesn’t get through.

Good Viewing,

Bobby Mo