The Town is an underrated movie directed by Ben Affleck that definitely deserves to be watched before The Accountant 2. After appearing in classic movies like Dazed and Confused and Good Will Hunting in the 1990s, Affleck has become one of the most accomplished actors of the 21st century. In addition to the aforementioned classics, Ben Affleck’s best movies include Gone Girl, The Way Back, and The Last Duel. He can next be seen in the upcoming The Accountant 2, which is the highly anticipated sequel to Affleck’s 2016 action/thriller movie.

However, in addition to his successful acting career, Affleck has also received acclaim as a director. In fact, his third film, Argo, won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2013. In addition to Argo, Affleck has directed Gone Baby Gone, The Town, Live by Night, and Air. While winning Best Picture for Argo was a mᴀssive moment for him, The Town is potentially a more important film in Affleck’s career since it was the first time he both directed and starred in a movie.

The Town Was Ben Affleck’s First Movie Directing And Starring At The Same Time

The Town Was A Risky Endeavor For Ben Affleck

The first feature film that Affleck directed was 2007’s Gone Baby Gone, which was also critically acclaimed. However, he didn’t star in Gone Baby Gone, which means both directing and starring in The Town was a major decision for Affleck. In The Town, Affleck plays the leading role of bank robber Doug MacRay, who wants to get out of the criminal world once his friend, James Coughlin, starts to take things too far. In addition to Affleck, the cast of The Town includes Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, and Blake Lively.

The Town was a major risk for Affleck, since he had to focus on his duties as both an actor and director. If the film didn’t receive such good reviews, it’s possible that Affleck would never have taken on duo responsibilities again. If this ended up being the case, Argo could have been a much different movie. However, The Town thankfully received great reviews, which is why it deserves a watch before The Accountant 2 releases in theaters on April 25, 2025.

15 Years Later, The Town Remains A Must-See Crime Thriller

The Town Will Keep You On The Edge Of Your Seat

It may seem strange to refer to The Town as underrated since it has an impressive score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes (via Rotten Tomatoes). Overall, reviews for The Town have been incredible, and Screen Rant even gave the film a score of 9 out of 10. However, when people talk about Affleck’s career as a director, The Town seems to often get overlooked and vastly overshadowed by Argo, which came out just two years later.

It may not have won Best Picture like Argo, but The Town is undoubtedly a must-see crime thriller. Doug’s inner conflict in the film and his complicated relationship with James as he tries to create a new life for himself are fascinating to watch. Overall, The Town is an unpredictable movie with great performances, and further proves that Affleck is an amazing director.