Though Batman and all things Justice League are currently taking up most of Ben Affleck’s time at the moment, he’s still finding room to squeeze in other projects. Determined not to let the cape and cowl define the later years of his career, Big Ben recently got back behind (and in front) of the camera for Prohibition-era drama Live By Night, which arrives in January (after a limited, Oscar run on December 25th).
Having been attached to the adaptation from the get-go, Affleck wrote and directed this cinematic spin on Dennis Lehane’s novel of the same name, one that will also have him lead the charge as Joe Coughlin, the enigmatic son of a Boston Police Superintendent who trades a chance to uphold the family name for a life of organized crime. Set against the Roaring ’20s, Live By Night is the Argo follow-up many have been waiting for, particularly those unconcerned by Affleck’s ongoing tenure donning the cape and cowl for WB.
Though we’d already seen a couple of previews for the film up to this point, Warner Bros. has now released one final look at their upcoming heavy hitter, and it’s a doozy. Oddly haunting and full of impressive production design that wonderfully brings the ’20s to life, complete with some good ol’ fashioned gangster violence, it’s an exciting glimpse at what could just be an Oscar favorite.
A January release date usually doesn’t inspire confidence, but there’s absolutely no reason to doubt that this film could be an awards contender, especially now that it’s been confirmed for a limited Oscar run.
After all, with a supporting cast that includes Elle Fanning, Sienna Miller, Chris Messina, Chris Cooper, Titus Welliver, Scott Eastwood and Brendan Gleeson, we have every reason to believe that Live By Night will turn heads once it charges into theatres on January 13th, 2017.
Live By Night is set in the roaring `20s when 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.
