Early in his career, am Affleck was incessantly derided as a bad actor based on his performances in disastrous films such as Gigli, Daredevil, And Reindeer games, even though he wasn’t really responsible for their failure. Eventually, Affleck started gaining more respect after proving himself with projects like hollywooland And The company men that he could take himself seriously, but some audiences still took a negative view of his performances. However, his skills as a director have never been in doubt. His directorial debut in 2007 Gone baby gone was an incredible, painstaking crime thriller that explored powerful themes of police corruption and addiction.
Affleck’s success as a filmmaker continued with the Michael Mann-inspired heist thriller The city and the true story Argo, which took home the Academy Award for Best Picture. While it seemed like Affleck was on his way to becoming one of the most popular directors of his generation, his directing career unfortunately came to a halt in 2016. Live by night was a passion project that told a classic gangster story within a historical setting, but unfortunately neither audiences nor critics favored Affleck’s film. The movie bombed theatrically, reportedly losing Warner Brothers $75 million.
It ended a particularly disappointing year for Affleck. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice And Suicide Squad were not well received and there was growing concern about the actor’s future as Batman in the DCEU. While he delivered a decent action thriller with it The accountant, the film’s sequel has still not taken shape. What’s more unfortunate is that the failure of Live by night was completely wrong; Affleck’s epic gangster saga should not be seen as a career killer, but a worthy entry in his filmography.
It pays homage to classic gangster movies
One of the aspects of Affleck’s first three films as a director that was celebrated was how tight and suspenseful the storytelling was; each movie begins with thrilling action sequences that set up an enclosed mission to be completed in a limited time. Though some viewers may have felt that this was something that was missing Live by nightThat wasn’t Affleck’s intention. The film is grandiose in nature and spans several years as it chronicles the rise and fall of bootlegger Joe Coughlin, who plays Affleck himself. The movie was based on one 2012 novel of the same name by author Dennis Lehane who explored the Prohibition era in great detail; while not based on true events, it was clearly inspired by the actual gangsters that existed in the 1920s.
Affleck does a great job showing the slow progression of Joe’s journey, condensing decades of story into a tight narrative. While a show like HBO’s Boardwalk Empire was able to explore the prohibition era and all its nuances over the course of several seasons, Affleck worked under the shorter window of a theatrical feature film. He spends a lot of time on Joe’s activities in Boston, California and Florida researching each one thoroughly. It doesn’t feel like he skimps on details.
Incredible production design and action sequences
Affleck’s first two films were set in his hometown of Boston, so it didn’t give him much of a chance to flesh out the production design in eye-catching ways. However, Live by night resumes the 1920s in stunning detail. The film was shot across the country at many historic locations, including Georgia’s Fort Pulaski National Monument (via WTOC). It’s no wonder the movie was so expensive: every police station, club, mansion and town looks like it’s been taken straight out of a 1920s gangster movie, like Underworld or The racket.
While Affleck’s style is deliberately old-fashioned, that didn’t mean his action sequences were outdated. There’s a thrilling car chase at the beginning of the movie when Joe is hired by Italian mob boss Maso Pescatore (Remo Girone) to pull off a robbery, which eventually catches the attention of the police. Likewise, there is an epic climactic shootout that pits Joe against his rivals Albert White (Robert Glenister), Digger (Max Casella) and Pescatore in a hotel. These battles are rich and bloody, as Affleck is not shy of the brutality of the era.
A rich and emotional story
While Live by night is certainly an incredible feat of engineering and tremendous editing, it’s also a powerful love story that features one of Affleck’s most heartbreaking performances. The movie opens with heartbreak; Joe falls in love with beautiful woman Emma Gould (Sienna Miller), and pursues her despite knowing she is involved with the mob. Her apparent death shatters Joe’s soul and casts doubt on his future. He was put in danger because he risked everything for love, but now he has no one to fight for.
Affleck’s melancholy aesthetic throughout reflects how Joe mourns the loss that plagued his young life. The spark of hope that arises when he meets Cuban Graciela Corrales (played by Zoe Saldana) comes at just the right time; the film was in danger of becoming too bleak, but the exciting romantic chemistry between Affleck and Saldana gives the audience an emotional streak that is held to the end. This continues until the birth of their son Tommy, whom Joe vows to protect and raise to be a police officer. It’s a fascinating decision; Joe has been lawless most of his life, but he decides to raise his son in a safe environment so he can make sure he will have a good life. Considering that Affleck is a parent himself, this feels particularly touching.
The film is also overtly political, as Affleck is not afraid to show the extreme levels of corruption within the government’s interdiction and police institutions. He also showcases the brutality of racist hate groups and has a diverse cast as some of Joe’s allies. These themes do not distract from the story, but enrich it by providing a healthy perspective on historical events.