Read Mixed User Reviews for Live by Night

6

qamasterMar 13, 2017

Not a bad movie. forty-nine for such work is not enough (the score of Critic Reviews). I enjoyed watching this movie from beginning to end. The film keeps you in suspense and does not disappoint at the end

3 of 12 users found this helpful39

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5

KuroNinjaMar 9, 2017

I felt the movie was very long and drawn out, it could have done with a shorter plot line that summarised the story better. I look forward to what Ben Affleck has to offer next.

3 of 14 users found this helpful311

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6

TVJerryJan 18, 2017

One of the best things about Prohibition-era gangster flicks is that you can bet on neat old cars, cool period clothes and traditional violence. They spent plenty of money on film one to give it rich historical heft, but writer/director BenOne of the best things about Prohibition-era gangster flicks is that you can bet on neat old cars, cool period clothes and traditional violence. They spent plenty of money on film one to give it rich historical heft, but writer/director Ben Affleck didn't bring anything new to the genre. He also plays the lead, a somewhat principled crook, who resists pressure to join a gang until he has no choice. This takes him to Tampa, where he gets involved with the rum trade and a beautiful Cuban woman. This movie unfolds with predictable plot points and uninteresting characters, but has sufficient energy to keep it moving. What it's missing is any compelling drama or emotional impact. Instead, it's a rather bland, quickly forgettable entry into the gangster pantheon.… Expand

3 of 18 users found this helpful315

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4

LynApr 16, 2017

This movie is beautifully shot. The images compensate somewhat for the wretched acting, lack of character development and predictable plot. Almost all of the focus is on Ben Afleck (who unfortunately is at his most bland and vacuous).This movie is beautifully shot. The images compensate somewhat for the wretched acting, lack of character development and predictable plot. Almost all of the focus is on Ben Afleck (who unfortunately is at his most bland and vacuous). Villains, sidekicks and female characters get very little to do, so when they disappear or die, ho-hum.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

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6

LeZeeSep 16, 2017

Fall and rise, a revenge tale.

Number four for the director Affleck after his other film won the Oscars four years ago. He has also written the screenplay and produced it. It was based on the book of the same name. The story of a World War IFall and rise, a revenge tale.

Number four for the director Affleck after his other film won the Oscars four years ago. He has also written the screenplay and produced it. It was based on the book of the same name. The story of a World War I veteran turned notorious gangster. Escaping from the war, falling in love with a gangster's woman, a bank heist, prison time, the son of a police officer and his journey to the top of the criminal world after losing everything at one stage of his life. More like a revenge film, but the intention was not aggressive. Only the time and the life passage give one to him.

From all his directional films, probably this could be the worst one. It had everything a gangster film needed like gun fights, car chase, revenge, romance, yet I felt lacked depth in its overall theme. Actors were not bad, the settings looked fine. The length of the film was a bit long, but the film offered nothing new. It looked like someone's biography or made it look like one. I think that's the point. Even the end part of the film extends, only to annoy us after two long hours patiently sat for it.

The best part of the film, what I liked was the 1920s. The story about between two the World Wars, that too was about an internal affair like underworld activities looked nice on the screen. The cast and crew were best for the film, yet failed to impress us. Though it was not totally a bad film of the year, only it did not stand and deliver as it was promised. So, still it can be watched once if you prefer, but not guaranteed entertainment.

6/10… Expand

0 of 27 users found this helpful027

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4

iCronicAug 7, 2017

Elle Fanning is worth watching but there is just absolutely nothing exciting about this film, completely middle of the road

0 of 9 users found this helpful09

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6

badgerryan19May 19, 2017

Hard to put a score on this one. On one half the film is brilliantly directed by Ben Affleck and everyone is giving it there all. The production values, costume designs, music all top notch. The problem is that the story isn't all there. TheHard to put a score on this one. On one half the film is brilliantly directed by Ben Affleck and everyone is giving it there all. The production values, costume designs, music all top notch. The problem is that the story isn't all there. The action scenes were absolutely terrific and all the tension as well. I was invested in the first act of the movie then it kinda deflated. Affleck does show once again that he is a terrific director but his screenplay is much to be desired.… Expand

0 of 27 users found this helpful027

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6

AproxxAug 16, 2018

In the end, I think is a good movie. The resolution is great at every level.

But the truth is the first act is quite boring. A lot of characters are presented with (boring) care. After the work is done (and it feels like work, which is quiteIn the end, I think is a good movie. The resolution is great at every level.

But the truth is the first act is quite boring. A lot of characters are presented with (boring) care. After the work is done (and it feels like work, which is quite awful, probably), the movie starts to pick up in tension

The third act is really great and makes the movie what it is.

The performances are just fine in my opinion. Professional might be the right word. So... If you like Ben Afflect, you have to see this
If you DISlike Ben Afflect, you better not see it
If you are indiferent to him, I recommend it… Expand

0 of 30 users found this helpful030

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4

tkc88Apr 28, 2017

This had all the ingredients to be a great film: good source material (Dennis Lehane's book forms the 2nd chapter in a trilogy about the Coughlan family); a smart and stylish director (Ben Affleck) coming off an Academy Award; a beautifullyThis had all the ingredients to be a great film: good source material (Dennis Lehane's book forms the 2nd chapter in a trilogy about the Coughlan family); a smart and stylish director (Ben Affleck) coming off an Academy Award; a beautifully interchangeable list of set pieces and wardrobe; and a genre that will never stop being entertaining.

However, the end result was a bloated and directionless mess. What should have been a crime film "epic" came across as a series of short scenes thrown together without any real flow. The choice to cast himself in the lead role has hurt Affleck's film here, and it appears that while he knows how to direct a suspenseful film, he is best served having somebody else write the screenplay (this is the first of Affleck's four films that he has written).

This film was a hugely missed opportunity.… Expand

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

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4

zhuwangpApr 28, 2017

Ok so this is the first I saw that technically released this year so this is where I start. Short version to summarize the movie is that it is a gangster film staring and directed by Ben Afflect. I would want to summarize the plot but it isOk so this is the first I saw that technically released this year so this is where I start. Short version to summarize the movie is that it is a gangster film staring and directed by Ben Afflect. I would want to summarize the plot but it is way too incoherent yet generic so think of it as a rise to power kind of mafia film like scar face.
After the Town and Argo people thinks that Ben Afflect is the next big director or something. I have not seen Argo but judging from what I saw in the Town I have to say I am not that impressed. Mostly because his narrative style bothers me and some of the plot points are too much in your face and lack of subtlety. Here the problem got worse. 90% of the time he is talking to you in narration which is common for gangster movies but here is felt way too blunt. I won't go into details but just imagine Morpheus from Matrix narrating the whole movie.
Another problem is the pacing. It is so boring. Now there is a difference between slow and boring. So is paced is lack of speed but there is pay off like the Shining and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. But boring means things barely happen with no pay off. And this film is boring. The first 20 minutes was my God I was so bored that I almost want to leave. Things happen but there is no weight. You can cut it out and there is no impact to the rest of the film whatsoever. There are many moment in the film where there are many plot points just lead to no where or there are too many side stories and just lack focus.
Now with the negative things I said there are some positives. The cinematography is amazing every shot is worth putting on your wall. The acting is good especially from Elle Flanning who surprisingly sympathetic. But it can not save the movie and it bombed at the box office. To be honest I only heard of this movie randomly in a commercial a week before it came out and only from a word of mouth knew it is made by Ben Afflect. I don't necessarily hate this movie there are some amazing moments like the final gun fight was brilliant and many individual moments that shines. Given the raise in quality of the movies this year, I wouldn't the movie is bad but it is definitely the least entertaining film I have seen so far.… Expand

0 of 20 users found this helpful020

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5

TheATeam7734Apr 13, 2018

It is understandable that Ben Affleck's adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel is unable to contain the same effect as the book, due to the amount of depth the themes and multiple subplots go into. The film makes an attempt to contain as much asIt is understandable that Ben Affleck's adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel is unable to contain the same effect as the book, due to the amount of depth the themes and multiple subplots go into. The film makes an attempt to contain as much as is possible, yet in doing this has a little bit of everything, but not enough of anything. Sticking to the main plot, there are good performances and the amount of effort in production design is not to be overlooked. However, the movie skimps on the importance of various angles and leaves out the critical aspects of characters and their reasons for being the way they are.… Expand

0 of 43 users found this helpful043

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4

MahmusSep 25, 2020

Ben Affleck is a great director, but this was just really, really boring.

The best thing about this movie is Elle Fanning. Whenever she's on screen, the movie stops being boring and becomes really good. Unfortunately she's not in the movie aBen Affleck is a great director, but this was just really, really boring.

The best thing about this movie is Elle Fanning. Whenever she's on screen, the movie stops being boring and becomes really good. Unfortunately she's not in the movie a lot, so it quickly goes back to being boring.

The climactic shootout is kinda fun, but not enough to make me forget that this movie is still mostly just people sitting and talking for two hours. That would be fine if the dialogue was good, but it's not. It's really not.

And then, just when you though it was over, it keeps going and going until it finally decides to end in the stupidest way possible.… Expand

0 of 9 users found this helpful09

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6

DawdlingPoetNov 27, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First off, those accents! Ben Affleck is in full blown low, whispery and (I assume) Italian/Irish gangster accent mode here, among numerous others. It felt a bit over the top. However, I liked the period setting, the old building frontages and so on. The special effects (explosions etc.) are alright - its certainly watchable if you can get past the cheesy accents(!) but there are definitely some cliches present (I wasn't keen on the female characters). Still, its not un-entertaining regardless. This film is alright - not one I'd recommend you go out of your way i.e. pay much to see but its an ok watch, not a complete failure but its not especially great either. There are some good bits of dialogue and it paints the scene of criminality in America at the time of the prohibition era relatively well, so it could be worse. Its certainly true that there's more dialogue driven scenes than fast paced action scenes - whether that would bother you depends on your own taste in films I suppose.

I suppose I'm sort of sitting on the fence - I dont think it deserves the really low ratings some people give it but I wouldn't give it a very high rating either, somewhere in the middle (Make of that what you will). I don't like to feel totally put off watching a film that initially appeals to me, due to negative reviews - I bought it after seeing it on sale for £1 and it appealed to me - I wasnt familiar with it so I bought it and I certainly wouldn't say it wasn't worth that low price. I certainly thought it was interesting to see it in terms of it being directed by Ben Affleck as well, although I wouldn't say this is his best directorial effort, its ok. I wouldn't write him off as a director entirely, even though this isn't as good as it perhaps good have been - its a decent attempt at a good film but it is slightly lacking, although it does have a nice sense of atmosphere.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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4

Novice81Mar 16, 2022

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0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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4

Implement89Apr 23, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In the roaring '20s, Prohibition hasn’t stopped the flow of booze in an underground network of gangster-run speakeasies. The opportunity to gain power and money is there for any man with enough ambition and nerve and Joe Coughlin, the son of the Boston Police Superintendent, long ago turned his back on his strict upbringing for the spoils of being an outlaw. But even among criminals there are rules and Joe breaks a big one: crossing a powerful mob boss by stealing his money and his moll. The fiery affair ends in tragedy, setting Joe on a path of revenge, ambition, romance and betrayal that propels him out of Boston and up the ladder of Tampa’s steamy rum-running underworld.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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