THE REWATCHABLES · August 1, 2019
A 2010 thriller / drama directed by Ben Affleck, covered in the complete Rewatchables archive.
ON THIS EPISODE
FROM THE CONVERSATION
WHY IT WORKS
WHAT DID NOT WORK
SCENES THEY KEPT COMING BACK TO
The film opens with a tightly executed heist and a strong introduction to the robbery crew.
About 32 minAffleck asks Renner for help in a tense, compact scene that defines their relationship.
About 32 minThe slow-motion arrival and subtle physical blocking make the triangle dynamic memorable.
About 32 minA tightly staged chase through Boston streets that the hosts think captures the city well.
About 40 minA major emotional and physical showdown that establishes the loyalty-conflict core.
About 40 minDoug’s attempt to quit leads to a memorable threat scene with the florist.
About 40 minHamm’s scenes with Lively are discussed as sexually charged and effective.
About 40 minThe climax is admired as a big, inventive Boston set piece inspired by Heat.
About 48 minWHERE THEY DISAGREED
Bill SimmonsThe Departed is not as unquestionably number one as people think; The Town belongs near the top.
Chris RyanThe Town is top-tier Boston, and other candidates like Spotlight or The Verdict deserve consideration.
Bill SimmonsHeat is number one, with The Town near the top.
Chris RyanInside Man belongs high, and several others are contenders depending on what counts as a bank heist.
Chris RyanShe is excellent and fits the role perfectly.
Bill SimmonsHe agrees she works, especially as a chaotic Boston-type presence.
Bill SimmonsThe movie clearly borrows from Heat, but that doesn’t ruin it.
Chris RyanThe borrowing is noticeable but mostly effective because the movie adds its own Boston specificity.
Chris RyanSome parts, especially Claire’s role, are hard to buy.
Bill SimmonsThe story is functioning more than airtight, but the movie still works.
Calls it a classic rewatchable, a classic Boston movie, and says it has aged beautifully.
Opening minutesFrames the film as a major comeback point after Affleck’s career downturn.
Opening minutesSays the movie nails the Boston geography, bars, and townie/outside tension.
About 8 minTreats Renner as the movie’s standout and says he ages the best.
About 16 minDefends Lively’s performance as perfect for the role and rejects the criticism of her work.
About 48 minAcknowledges the movie borrows from Heat but still values it as a strong heist film.
About 40 minSays the Fenway sequence is a smart, original-feeling climax despite some plausibility issues.
About 48 minTreats Boston and Charlestown as the movie’s defining layer of meaning.
About 8 minThe episode treats the movie as a portrait of hometown loyalty, townie-vs-outsider tension, and neighborhood pride.
About 8 minThe movie is framed as a crucial point in Affleck’s recovery from a career crash into a respected filmmaker and star again.
Opening minutesThe movie’s heist drama depends on smart planning, but the real conflict comes from personal loyalties and bad judgment.
About 32 minThey repeatedly talk about hard-edged local guys, bars, fights, hockey, and the way Boston guys carry themselves.
About 8 minThe movie grossed 154 million dollars and was a National Board of Review top-10 film of 2010.
About 24 minAffleck reportedly did extensive research in Charlestown and Boston and used local locations and people.
About 24 minThe first robbery was shot at a former Mass Bank branch in Melrose, Massachusetts.
About 1:20Chris Cooper’s prison scene was shot at MCI Cedar Junction, apparently the first film shoot there.
About 1:20The film initially had a much longer cut, with an extended/director’s cut around 151 minutes after a much longer assembly.
About 48 min · medium confidenceThe film was almost directed by Adrian Lyne.
About 1:12Affleck originally wanted Mark Wahlberg for Jem, but Wahlberg was unavailable because of The Fighter.
About 48 minCasey Affleck suggested Jeremy Renner after working with him on The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
About 48 minThe movie reportedly had a four-hour cut before being trimmed down substantially.
About 48 min · medium confidenceThe Boston crime-stat voiceover about Charlestown was controversial among locals because it exaggerated the city’s robbery reputation.
About 1:20 · medium confidenceUsed as the primary comparison point for heist structure, shootouts, and cat-and-mouse mechanics.
About 24 minUsed in Boston-movie ranking debates and as a comparison for Boston authenticity.
Opening minutesReferenced in Boston-movie rankings and Affleck/Damon career talk.
Opening minutesMentioned as a Boston movie and as a possible future rewatchables title.
About 16 minUsed as a Boston-movie favorite and a model of legal drama.
About 16 minReferenced as a Boston/Fenway movie and criticized as a weaker film.
About 16 minMentioned in the bank-heist movie rankings and mask discussion.
About 24 minUsed as another bank-heist benchmark.
About 24 minCited as a strong, rewatchable heist movie.
About 24 minMentioned as a bank-heist series example while discussing format.
About 40 min · medium confidenceUsed as a Boston-crime comparison and example of a weaker accent performance.
About 40 minReferenced as part of Affleck’s comeback run.
Opening minutesReferenced as another point in Affleck’s post-comeback career.
Opening minutesMentioned because Wahlberg was busy shooting it instead of playing Jem.
About 48 minMentioned during Boston location and water-side scene discussion.
About 16 min · medium confidenceLong detours about Charlestown, the North End, one-way streets, bridges, and how Boston feels like a town made of neighborhoods.
About 8 minThe hosts repeatedly build and revise Mount Rushmore-style lists of Boston movies and heist movies.
About 16 minThey jokingly christen the crew with a tougher-sounding nickname while discussing the movie’s criminals.
About 40 minQuotable Boston-criminal dialogue is turned into a running joke about local guy behavior.
About 1:04Chris and Bill trade real-life Charlestown/Boston anecdotes that mirror the film’s world.
About 8 min“What a great line.”Opening minutes
“There goes college soccer”About 32 min
“Oxy's guns. It's like townie Christmas.”About 56 min
“You think you're better than people.”About 40 min
“The not-fucking-around crew”About 40 min
MAKE IT A MOVIE NIGHT
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
Three movies to watch before The Town, and three to watch next.
ON THE MIC
Bill SimmonsThe Rewatchables
Chris RyanThe RewatchablesREWATCH FAVS
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