This Gatsby / Godfather mash-up is lovely, if not as fun as we might have hoped. The newest melancholy installment in his typically excellent directorial ventures is no let down in some important aspects. Beautifully shot, emphatically acted, awash in atmosphere and spectacle, Live by Night showcases some of the best talents of our Hollywood darling. Unfortunately, as many will no doubt complain, it doesn't present his best work, partly because the film feels hodgepodge and distracted, partly because it rehashes typical Affleck themes, and partly because it just isn't much fun.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed almost every moment. Dazzling cinematography and an impeccable sense of place and time keep things riveting. Entrancing performances by the likes of Chris Messina (in an unexpectedly hilarious role), Zoe Saldana, and Chris Cooper are the stuff of screen gold. And the plot has just enough twists and turns to keep you interested if irritated by its familiarity and predictability. There's a lot to be said for doing rote things really beautifully, and though this particular picture is nothing new for Affleck, he does what he knows and he does it reasonably well. If all would-be crime sagas or period thrillers were this good, it would be my favorite genre.
However, we can scarcely ignore the alarming problem with this film. It's just not something most audiences will want to watch. Sure, it has its action moments, its sexy shots, its gorgeous style, but it's a largely bland enterprise. Not sure if it wants to be a hardcore thriller or more calmly examine its central theme of the hollow and compromising nature of the American dream, not sure if its heart is with our leading man's troubled business affiliations or his romantic affairs, most of the film feels stuck in a limbo of indecision. Furthermore, this lack of focus trickles down to other elements of the film (also written by Affleck), which causes one to speculate why this film was made. Nothing about it feels urgent or necessary, and its lack of narrative trajectory or thematic force translate clearly across the void. Was he contracted to put out another picture before he dove into another Batman costume?
Maybe I'm being too critical. The film is fine, and if you like period crime dramas, it'll heat up your cuppa nicely. And its downfalls are less a criticism of Affleck's abilities as they are recognition that the well-trod and worn-down genre and themes have their limits. It's a lovely way to spend an evening, even if it doesn't really leave much of a lasting impression afterward. Depending on who you ask, that's the best way to spend an evening.
IMDb: Live by Night
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