Sorry, but This 92% Rotten Tomatoes Heist Thriller Completely Wasted ‘Bosch’s Titus Welliver

In 2010, Ben Affleck’s The Town was another addition to his Boston-set crime film universe. Following Gone Baby Gone, the film had a stacked cast starring Affleck, Jeremy Renner, Chris Cooper, and Jon Hamm. The Town was filled with so many impressive characters hewing the scenery that some fell by the wayside. Deadwood and Bosch actor Titus Welliver had a fleeting appearance in the film, which was essentially a walk-on role.

Welliver joined Hamm in their efforts to resolve a string of robberies in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The Town followed Doug MacRay (Affleck) and his best friend Jem Coughlin (Renner), who were part of a team that robbed a bank. After taking the manager, Claire (Rebecca Hall), hostage, Doug began surveilling her and quickly became infatuated.

Throughout all of this, FBI Agent Adam Frawley (Hamm) became involved on the suspicion that the robbers were tied to a local gang leader. Frawley took the lead on the investigation with minimal aid from Detective Dino Ciampa (Welliver). As minimal as it was, Welliver still made a lasting impression. While he was a background actor in most scenes, the Lost actor made use of the time he had. Frawley represented the outsider in this tight-knit community, while Ciampa was the local element. Welliver was also a familiar face in yet another successful endeavor for Affleck’s directing career, perhaps pointing to why he joined The Town cast.

‘The Town’ Was Another Notch on Ben Affleck’s Directing Belt

Ben Affleck broke into the industry in impressive fashion with his Academy Award for co-writing Good Will Hunting with his creative partner, Matt Damon. Though the two Boston natives went in separate directions for their careers, Affleck eventually found his calling as a director. His passion for Boston was evident in not just The Town, but the adaptation of Gone Baby Gone, by Dennis Lehane. Casey Affleck starred in the neo noir detective story about a missing child.

Gone Baby Gone was also acclaimed and starred Titus Welliver in a significantly bigger role. While he was shooting Deadwood, Welliver appeared as Lionel McReady, the stand-in parental figure for the missing child at the center of the conflict. The film was a gripping and heartbreaking ethical quandary about what anyone would do to protect the innocent. Affleck followed this up with The Town, once again enlisting Welliver in a role. Though slightly less significant than being the authority figure of a missing girl, Welliver didn’t waste a second. The Town was another exploration of the ties that bind in a close community. Affleck’s interest in the subject led to captivating performances from actors who would go a long way.

Jeremy Renner, in recent memory, has been known for being sidelined in huge franchises, but he should not be dismissed in films that are more character-driven. After his role in the acclaimed film The Hurt Locker, he played an entirely different character as the hot-headed Jem. Welliver may have only been a small part of this ensemble, but he was still an integral piece. Viewers can catch these performances and view The Town, currently streaming on HBO Max.