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Live by Night


Starring: Ben Affleck, Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Sienna Miller, Zoe Saldana, and Chris Cooper
Directed by: Ben Affleck
Screenplay by: Ben Affleck
Based the novel by Dennis Lehane

     Ben Affleck is back, both in front of and behind the camera for this prohibition-era gangster thriller.
     Joe Coughlin (Ben Affleck), a native of Boston and the youngest son of a high ranking captain in the police force, wants to be a gangster.  He doesn't want to be called a gangster but he basically wants to do everything that involves being a gangster.  Liquor is flowing everywhere even though it's illegal, as the roaring twenties are in full swing.  He gets involved with the Italian mob led by Maso Pescatore (Remo Girone).  Pescatore wants to expand the family's rum operation in south Florida (specifically Tampa).  So, he sends Joe down there to essentially run that part of the operation.  While there, Joe has to make friends with uncomfortable people, including police chief Figgis (Chris Cooper), who is related to the head of the KKK in the region.  Things go well for a time for Joe and for the Pescatore family, but ultimately there will be things that test them.
      Ben Affleck has shown himself to be an excellent director through other hits such as The Town (2010) and Argo (2012).  However, Live by Night falls short in terms of quality in comparison to those other two films.  There is too much story for a film of this length, and actually should be a bit longer (until you actually watch the film).  The film glosses over some parts of the story while dwelling on others that frankly don't seem as important.  There is one particular scene that stands out, and that is the car chase scene towards the beginning.  Yes, in this prohibition era film, there is a car chase scene.  This is something that makes this film unique because I can't think of another film set in the 1920s that actually involves a car chase.  It's not the best car chase ever, but it's quite entertaining to see old cars pretending they're in The Fast and the Furious.  
      Live by Night tries to be a film that makes viewers envy the main character, the antihero that is Joe Coughlin.  Joe lives a lavish life, especially while in Florida.  The problem is that he tries too hard to be a gangster.  That's all he wants to do.  He has no plans to try to get out of the life, and that makes it hard to respect this character.  He just wants to do it forever.
     Overall, this isn't the most interesting film ever, and it's not Ben Affleck's best film for his acting, nor his directing.  Perhaps next time, he can cast someone different for the main role.

I give Live by Night a C+.

Image Source: AwardsWatch

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