Title: Live By Night
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Sienna Miller
Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins

What It Is: After a misunderstanding with the leader of Boston’s Irish mafia, a very dangerous man by the name of Albert White (Robert Glenister). Joe Coughlin (Affleck) is beaten and left for dead, his girlfriend Emma (Miller) dead. Now Joe vows revenge on White and he’s going to work down in Miami for White’s sworn enemy Maso Pescatore (Remo Girone) and run his bootlegging business. With trouble from the KKK, White’s men, and the religious he’ll have his work cut out for him in those hot Miami nights.

What We Think: Not as good Affleck’s previous directorial endeavors. It is a really choppy edit to start. Some of the accents are very bad and the acting a bit on the hammy side. A lot of this goes back on to Affleck since he also wrote the film. Look, every good director has a few missteps. From every Saving Private Ryan, there is a The Terminal. I think this is something that just sort of happens, much in the way this film just sort of happens. Often as we watch the story unfold they’re a lull amongst the proceedings and it can be a true bore. I will say that the film itself looks beautiful.

Our Grade: C-, Tedious and often boring to have to get through this is not the best of Batfleck but I’m certain he’ll make his next film truly great. A better script and a more focused approach will probably prove him superior. Elle Fanning, and Zoe Saldana are in the movie which is a true statement though I don’t know how much they contribute to the overall arc. Somehow it wastes a good Chris Cooper performance. See the film if gangster flicks intrigue you.