I just watched a terrific movie and want to recommend it. It's called "The Town," the town in question being Charlestown, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston which the opening credits say has more bank robbers per capita than any community in the U.S.

One of them is the head of small gang of bank and armored truck boosters played by Ben Affleck. In addition to the starring role, Affleck directed the movie and cowrote the screenplay. He has never done better work than this. It's a heist movie which for the acting fan is a feast. Affleck (whose character is named Doug for inexplicable reasons) is not the only actor in peak form. Jeremy Renner proves his role in "The Hurt Locker" was no fluke as Doug's more sinister heistmate Jem. Rebecca Hall is a bank manager they rob, then Doug falls in love with her. Any sensible man would fall in love with Rebecca Hall. Chris Cooper appears briefly and vividly as Doug's father. Jon Hamm is also in it and proves he can play someone other than Don Draper, although FBI agents may not necessarily be his forte. Blake Lively from that teen show is also vivid.

The star of all is the city of Boston. It has been portrayed cinematically many times, notably in "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" and "Mystic River." "The Town" may outdo them all. You feel like you are exactly there. A climactic scene is set in what is described as the cathedral of Boston. No baseball fan will have to guess long before coming up with the answer to that one. (A great offhand line: "This is the biggest robbery of Fenway since Jack Clark").

Recommended. There are Big Important Movies and then also movies that are a great way to spend a couple of hours.