Why the Ben Affleck Haircut in The Town Still Rules the Barbershop

If you walked into a Boston barbershop in the fall of 2010, you weren’t just hearing the click of shears; you were hearing a specific request repeated like a mantra. People wanted the Doug MacRay. Specifically, they wanted that Ben Affleck haircut in The Town. It was aggressive. It was sharp. Honestly, it was a little intimidating. Even now, over fifteen years later, that specific buzz-cut-meets-high-fade remains the gold standard for guys who want to look like they mean business without spending twenty minutes in front of a mirror with a blow dryer.

It's a look that defines a character. In the film, Affleck plays a career thief from Charlestown, a neighborhood with its own distinct visual language. The hair had to match the stakes. If he showed up with the floppy, romantic-lead hair from Pearl Harbor, the movie falls apart. Instead, we got a technical, high-and-tight variation that felt lived-in and gritty. It wasn't just a style choice; it was a costume piece that stayed on his head.

The Technical Breakdown of the Ben Affleck Haircut in The Town

Let’s get into the weeds of what this actually is. Barbers often call it a high skin fade or a burr cut with a taper. But that’s clinical. In reality, it’s a high-contrast crop.

The sides are taken down almost to the scalp. We’re talking a #0 or a #1 guard, depending on your scalp's sensitivity and how much "skin" you actually want showing. The fade starts high—well above the temple—and follows the parietal ridge. This creates a very square, masculine silhouette. If the fade is too low, you lose that "Charlestown" edge and it starts looking like a standard military induction cut. It needs that localized, urban sharpness.

On top, it’s not just a uniform buzz. There’s a slight variation in length. While the sides are skin-tight, the top usually sits at about a #3 or #4 guard. This creates a "shadow" effect. It’s enough length to show some texture but not enough to actually style with pomade. If you can grab it with your fingers, it’s too long. The transition between the #1 on the sides and the #3 on top is where the skill comes in. It has to be seamless. No lines. No "steps." Just a smooth gradient of hair density.

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Why This Specific Look Works for Different Face Shapes

You’d think a buzz cut is a "one size fits all" deal. It isn't.

Affleck has a very strong, rectangular jawline and a prominent chin. The high fade on the Ben Affleck haircut in The Town works because it draws the eye upward and emphasizes the width of the forehead, balancing out a heavy lower face. If you have a rounder face, this cut is actually a godsend. By taking the sides down to the skin, you visually "slim" the head. It creates verticality where there is none.

However, there is a catch. If you have a particularly "bumpy" skull or prominent scars, a skin fade will broadcast them to the world. Affleck’s head shape is relatively symmetrical, which is why the #0 guard looks so clean on him. Most people might want to stick to a #1 or #2 guard on the sides to keep a layer of "darkness" over the scalp, which hides imperfections while keeping the spirit of the Doug MacRay look alive.

The Cultural Impact: More Than Just a Movie Cut

Movies usually have a "hair moment." Think of Brad Pitt in Fury or Christian Bale in American Psycho. But those are high-maintenance looks. They require product, blow-drying, and constant upkeep.

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The brilliance of the Ben Affleck haircut in The Town is its accessibility. It’s the "everyman" alpha look. It suggests that the wearer has more important things to do—like, say, planning a heist at Fenway Park—than worrying about hairspray. It’s practical. In the film, Doug MacRay is an athlete-turned-criminal. The hair reflects that athletic background. It’s aerodynamic.

Barbers reported a massive surge in this specific style because it bridged the gap between a "buzz cut" (which many men find boring) and a "fade" (which can sometimes feel too trendy). It’s a timeless middle ground. It says you care about your appearance, but you aren't obsessed with it.

How to Get the Look at Your Local Barbershop

Don't just walk in and say "give me a buzz cut." You'll end up looking like a thumb. You need to be specific.

1. Ask for a High Skin Fade: Specify that you want the fade to start high, near the temples.
2. Mention the Top Length: Tell them you want a #3 or #4 on top, blended into the fade.
3. The Line-Up is Key: Part of why Affleck looks so sharp is the "line-up" or "shape-up." This is when the barber uses a straight razor or a sharp trimmer to define the hairline and the temples. It should look like a straight edge.
4. Don't Forget the Nape: In The Town, the back is tapered clean. Avoid a "blocked" neck (a straight horizontal line). A tapered neck grows out much more naturally and keeps the look "expensive" for longer.

Maintaining this isn't hard, but it is frequent. To keep that "Town" sharpness, you’re looking at a trim every 10 to 14 days. Once the hair on the sides starts to lose its "skin" transparency, the silhouette changes. It goes from "dangerous heist leader" to "guy who forgot to get a haircut" pretty quickly.

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Common Misconceptions About This Style

People often confuse this with a Crew Cut. It’s not a Crew Cut. A Crew Cut leaves enough length in the front to "flip" up or side-sweep. The Ben Affleck haircut in The Town has no "front." The fringe is buzzed to the same length as the crown.

Another mistake? Using too much product. You might think a little wax will add shine. Don't. If the hair is cut correctly to a #3 on top, your natural oils provide enough sheen. Adding product to a buzz cut often just makes the scalp look greasy, which ruins the rugged, matte aesthetic the film popularized.

Actionable Tips for Maintaining the Aesthetic

If you're going to commit to this style, you need to think about your skin. When you're exposing that much of your scalp, your skin health becomes your hair health.

• Sunscreen is mandatory: A high skin fade leaves your scalp vulnerable. If you get a sunburn on your head, the "Doug MacRay" look becomes the "Peeling Red Balloon" look. Not cool.
• Moisturize the scalp: Use a light, non-greasy moisturizer or a scalp oil. This prevents "beard-druff" on the top of your head.
• Invest in a good trimmer: If you want to save money, you can do the top yourself with a #4 guard, but always go to a professional for the fade. Fading your own hair is a recipe for disaster.

The legacy of this haircut isn't just about Ben Affleck. It’s about the democratization of the "tough guy" aesthetic. It proved that you don't need six inches of hair to have a "style." You just need the right proportions and a barber who knows how to handle a pair of clippers.

Next time you're sitting in the chair, forget the Pinterest boards. Tell the barber you want the high-and-tight from The Town. They’ll know exactly what you mean. Just make sure you have the jawline—or at least the attitude—to back it up.