Live By Night Review
R: Strong Violence, Language Throughout, and Some Sexuality/Nudity
Warner Bros. Pictures, Appian Way Productions, Pearl Street Films, RatPac Entertainment
2 Hrs and 8 Minutes
Cast: Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Messina, Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana, Chris Cooper, Scott Eastwood, Clark Gregg
REVIEW: So after the long and busy year of 2016, Ben Affleck has been in so many films. He’s kicked ass as Batman. He kicked ass in The Accountant. But we all know Affleck’s true calling was being a director. After the success of his last directorial film Argo, to even winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards we were interested in what would Affleck direct next. Before he goes on to direct his own Batman solo film next year, Affleck was set on directing a 1920s period piece gangster film just in time for awards season. Sadly, I don’t see this getting any awards.
Set in the 1920s and 1930s, the story follows Joe Coughlin, the prodigal son of a Boston police captain. After moving to Ybor City, Tampa, Florida, he becomes a bootlegger and a rum-runner and, later, a notorious gangster.
THE GOOD: When you have a period piece set in the 20s the number one thing that should take into account is production design. One of the things I love about this movie is the production design. Through the entire film, you feel as if you’re in the 1920s. One thing I just kept thinking while watching this film was how beautiful it looked from the landscapes of the houses to the interior of the different buildings Coughlin walks into. The costumes were nice as well. There was even a point I wanted to search up the actual designs of the clothes just to see the art.
Another thing that is at least entertaining is the cinematography from Robert Richardson (who was nominated for an Academy Award last year for The Hateful Eight). For a gangster film that is supposed to have a dark and gritty look that reflects the film’s elements, Richardson actually puts color into the camera. There is an over saturated tint of orange and or blue throughout, but it’s good eye candy.
THE BAD: The movie is pretty to look at, but when you get down to it, Live By Night is as hollow as a shell. Ben Affleck proves himself to be a good director no doubt about it, but something about this project that doesn’t scream Ben Affleck. After directing hit after hit, this is the huge drop-off. It clearly isn’t his fault either. When Affleck directs himself, he is sometimes the best part of the movie (The Town) or onscreen just enough because he knows there is a bigger story to be told (Argo). But in this, it’s not that he is bad, but he just looks tired. You can tell by his eyes in certain scenes that he’s not really into it. Maybe because the adapted screenplay didn’t have much material to either act or direct. Maybe if he pulled a Gone Baby Gone and had someone else lead the picture as Joe Coughlin while he only does the direction. But nope, he had to do both. You can tell this was shot between his other 2016 films being Batman V. Superman and The Accountant. It felt like right when he got to sit in the director’s chair he needed to take a breather since his scheduling conflict is taking time out of the passion he is arguably best at doing which is directing. If he wanted to do a period piece this isn’t the genre he should dabble in especially since he did it so masterfully before.
The worst thing Live By Night has going. is it's story and plotting which results the film being generic as hell. The first 30 minutes begins as a run of the mill mob movie that is barely interesting but then drastically shifts to another location that doesn’t connect to the first 30 which is completely unnecessary to a point you predict it’s going to be forced into the last act. Everything about the story is so predictable that it gets to a Shut In level of lazy. As much Shut In was Thriller 101, Live By Night is Gangster Flick 101. It constantly takes bits and pieces of other films that were revolutionary and iconic. One moment it’s Goodfellas, then Godfather, then finally Gangster Squad. There is nothing there that makes this original. It’s bloody and violent, but by the end, you realize you saw it all.
There is barely any characters with distinct personalities. There's nothing but character types. Chris Messina is the comic relief. Zoe Saldana is the new interest. Sienna Miller is the old love interest. You can tell each character type right from their first lines of dialogue.
LAST STATEMENT: Ben Affleck’s Live By Night is the equivalent of ordering Little Caesar's pizza. It looks so pretty on the outside but has little to no taste on the inside.
Rating: 2/5 | 41%
Super Scene: Bank chase
