A word of advice for Ben Affleck: Quit acting, and concentrate on directing. After the success of his gritty crime drama Gone Baby Gone in 2007, Affleck heads to the streets of Charlestown (which apparently reports the highest bank heist rates in the world) for The Town—a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable film adapted from Chuck Hogan’s novel Prince of Thieves.Affleck casts himself as Doug MacRay, the leader of a group of bank robbers along with his lifelong buddy James (the always brilliant Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker). When James takes hostage Claire (an equally solid Rebecca Hall, Vicki Cristina Barcelona) during one of their bank heists, it is Doug who’s given the task of following her to make sure she won’t talk to the FBI agents hot on their heels (including Jon Hamm, TV’s Mad Men). Predictably, Doug begins to fall for Claire, but their story is no romantic cliché. Affleck’s eye for detail to build up their relationship—using Charlestown as a foil to illuminate the characters’ desperation and secret longings—makes the film stand out. Interspersed with some nicely choreographed action scenes and a slew of outstanding supporting performances, including Pete Postlethwaite as veteran Irish hoodlum Fergie and Blake Lively as Doug’s long-time f**k buddy Krista (yes, the girl can actually act), director Affleck pretty much had us on the edge of our seats throughout the entire show.The potentially great director certainly deserves a pat on the back for this thoroughly solid effort. Like David Fincher in Se7en, Affleck gets to the underbelly of the city by showing its sidewalk life and working class bars to heighten the film’s realism—utilizing parts of Boston that most filmmakers won’t usually go into. The Town is gritty, gripping and a great leap for Affleck, and we’re all the better for it.