Review of Live by Night (2016) by Clairvoyance — 06 Oct 2021

Very nice gangster effort.

LIVE BY NIGHT is a tour-de-force gangster epic from Ben Affleck, set in 1920s Florida where rival gangsters seem to spend the whole running time plotting against each other and striving to win control of their turf. It's a lively, well-paced effort, directed very nicely by Affleck himself, who also bags the main role. The film reminded me of BOARDWALK EMPIRE particularly, which may have been the intent, and has the same quality of cinematography and feel. There are action scenes sprinkled liberally throughout and they're immersive and impressive, particularly a wonderfully old-fashioned car chase. The supporting cast is dotted with familiar character actors giving solid performances and overall there's very little to dislike about this one.