Did everyone in Greater Boston manage to see this movie this weekend? It is all anyone can talk about at the moment...me, I saw it at the Drive In, now more than ever one must be true to First Priciples.
Y'know, Ben Affleck, is maybe one movie away from turning Boston into a specific geographic actor in the way that Monument Valley was key supporting player in all of John Ford's movies.
And this is a key point to remember as between this and "Gone Baby Gone" I'm beginning to think that only Affleck can direct Affleck with any real success...And maybe we can see a day when he'll abandon acting entirely and "Orsonize" himself.
Mind you, the film is nothing new, Ben heads up a gang of Charlestownie bank robbers, he has the bad luck to fall for one of his victims and the whole "twilight of the criminal ghods" mishaugas plays out to it's inevitable conclusion.
Given that, I'm beginning to think that there are only four gangster movie templates, "White Heat", "On the Waterfront" and "The Godfather Parts I & II".
Here, Affleck is in pure "On the Waterfront" mode, the classy dame, the brutish guy, the evil boss man, the ambivalence about his "line of work" it is all there. But for all that, it is a smartly written script boosted by a impossibly tight cast, this is the best heist movie I've seen in years one great scene after another...who knew that anyone could extract a great chase scene in the rabbit warren that is the North End?
And Affleck throws in a subtle indictment of the whole culture of off duty "police details" to top the whole dealio...I mean what could be better?
In fact, I'm wondering why the BPD hasn't picketed this film? They look like useless mooks next to the relentless and ruthless F.B.I.
Anyway...pickets or no pickets, this is a "believe the hype" movie experience...
And Ben Affleck?
I think he can put "Daredevil" behind him finally
