Fairaher
The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.
Invaderbank
The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.
Philippa
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
theredraylives
Skip this disaster and just read Dennis Lehane's novel, because a substantial portion of this film is just Affleck reading it to you via voice-over narration while random shots spill by in the background; the film at times even bypasses interesting plot threads and resolutions with a speedy narrative wrap-up. It fails on the most basic of levels, that being that of an actual film that tells its story by showing, not telling. Anything that could remotely be praised about this heap of trash is wiped away by the fact that Affleck reads. At the audience. For the entire film. Avoid, avoid, avoid, avoid.
porkloin
Good grief - nothing new here, and most of it is a lame effort at retracing the steps done by many an earlier movie. Okay then - "fighting the KKK" ha ha ha very funny, Ben; get a grip. As if....
Robert J. Maxwell
This neo-noir is written by, directed by, produced by, concocted by, and stars Ben Affleck. Music by Ben Affleck, with a harmonium solo by Ben Affleck. With additional dialog by Ben Affleck.Therefore, a lot of whatever appeal this film should have depends on Ben Affleck. And how does it turn out? Not too bad actually.It's 1920s in Boston. Affleck is an Irish bootlegger hired by the Italian gang to go down to Tampa and establish the booze and casino business in the face of anti-Yankee sentiments from the local hoods and corrupt law enforcement officers. He succeeds, more or less, taking a bullet along the way, until some intractable head of the mob back in Boston thinks he should be replaced, leading to one of several shootouts.In Tampa (or whatever it's called here -- Yboro City or something) he encounters insults about his Northernness and religion from the Ku Klux Klan, whom he wipes out with a swipe of his hand, helped immeasurably by his aide de camp, Remo Gerone. How does he take out, say, the Grand Imperial Wizard and Majestic Necromancer? Simple. In the middle of a discussion, seated across the desk from the snarling Southerner, he yanks out a .45 and puts a bullet into the Great Wazier's forehead.The friction between Affleck and the Klan doesn't last long. The friction between Affleck and the Cuban girl Zoe Saldana lasts a lot longer, which is perfectly understandable. She's a paragon of pulchritude and probably, beyond that, Affleck may want to learn to speak Spanish. There's another woman in the plot. Two, really, but let's concentrate on the second, Elle Fanning, because her role is important if brief. She's appalling young and beautiful, with nothing more than an impudent bump where her nose should be, but her cornflower blue eyes are the eyes of kewpie doll. She's so cute that I was ready to dismiss her out of hand as an actress. But she has one extended scene with Affleck in a café that puts her in the same rank as the rest of the cast.And Affleck? He's muscular and big. He's soft spoken, like Clint Eastwood, and a man of few words. In fact, his features look grim and chiseled. If Lawrence Tierney knew how to act and had just walked out of a Gestalt therapy class, he might look like and behave like Affleck. He delivers the goods but the role itself -- romantic noir hero -- is a tight suit that doesn't allow him much in the way of displaying his acting chops. As a director he gets the job done.And that harmonium solo? Pure virtuosity.
marcar912
Ben Affleck proves once again that he cannot write, direct, produce and star in a movie. He has failed to create an interesting picture despite the fascinating material he has at hand. First, the novel by Dennis Lehane; second, the territory of gangland Boston and Florida during Prohibition; third and finally, a cast of great actors in the supporting roles from Brendan Gleeson to Elle Fanning, Chris Messina and Chris Cooper. Why isn't this a good movie? It should be, but Affleck once again does not seem to be able to take the helm wearing all those hats and produce a great movie. The stereotypes abound, the women are cardboard cutouts and the Godfather it ain't. I read this movie was originally going to run to three hours, before Warner Bros forced Affleck to cut it. As it is, at a few minutes over 2 hours, I can't imagine sitting through more of this boring, snail-paced and dull gangster film. Don't waste your time on Live By Night: watch the Untouchables, rent the Godfather trilogy or, better yet, go outside and take a long walk instead.
