Ben Affleck’s career has been on a slippery slope over the past few years. He appeared in three films last year, each time in a mere supporting role. In 2008 he appeared in no films at all. An argument could be made that the fallow period begain in 2003, when Affleck began an over-publicized romance with Jennifer Lopez. I’m not saying that the two things are related, but, let’s face it, the release of “Gigli,” in which he starred with J-Lo, didn’t exactly give Affleck a career boost. From that embarrassment, things only seemed to get worse. And I’m not even counting his breakup with Lopez.
To his credit, Affleck has been trying to reinvent himself. In 2007, he co-scripted and directed “Gone Baby Gone,” which was well received; and this year will see the release of “The Town,” which he also co-scripted (from Chuck Hogan’s novel Prince of Thieves) and directed. Clearly, he has taken the hint from many other performers who have discovered that, while the public might be fickle in their taste in movie stars, a capable director can generally stay employed.
With “The Town,” Affleck is obviously making the most of his opportunity, by taking the hybrid path of actor-director. It’s a prudent hedge: even if the public fails to turn out to see Affleck the actor, Affleck the director need not take the blame.
From the press kit:
Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) is an unrepentant criminal, the de facto leader of a group of ruthless bank robbers who pride themselves in stealing what they want and getting out clean. With no real attachments, Doug never has to fear losing anyone close to him. But that all changed on the gang’s latest job, when they briefly took a hostage–bank manager, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall). Though they let her go unharmed, Claire is nervously aware that the robbers know her name… and where she lives. But she lets her guard down when she meets an unassuming and rather charming man named Doug….not realizing that he is the same man who only days earlier had terrorized her. The instant attraction between them gradually turns into a passionate romance that threatens to take them both down a dangerous, and potentially deadly, path.
– Warner Bros.
