Here's a film that started out with reasonable promise but ended being a big disappointment. Some elements of the production, i.e., the cinematography and casting are ok, except that the actor selected to play the lead role of character Joe Coughlin (actor Ben Affleck, who also wrote and directed the screen play), wasn't a good choice. Affleck doesn't look the part of this "would-be" gangster nor does he do a good job of being convincing. To me he presented on-screen as a silly man and out of place. I've never been one of Affleck's fans, though I know many people are, at best I consider him a "B-grade" actor, one generally incapable of delivering convincing performances anytime in any role he plays. So, I am acknowledging my bias toward him to the point that it will affect my rating of this film. Unfortunately, I also feel Affleck's abilities as a writer and director are limited, a matter clearly evident here. This movie is little more than a long-running dark melodrama with some action scenes thrown in to spice things up; it's an uninteresting, dull and boring flick to watch.
Review of Live by Night
