LIVE BY NIGHT (2016)

Summary:

Set in the Prohibition era, "Live by Night" follows the tumultuous journey of Joe Coughlin, the rebellious son of a Boston police captain, who turns his back on a life of law and order to become an outlaw. After a series of fateful choices lead him to prison and the loss of his love, Joe is sent to Ybor City, Tampa, Florida, by an Italian mob boss to oversee rum-running and gambling operations. He endeavors to carve out his own empire, navigating the treacherous waters of rival gangs, corrupt officials, and the burgeoning influence of the Ku Klux Klan.

As Joe builds his criminal enterprise, he finds himself entangled in a complex web of loyalty, betrayal, and romance, struggling to maintain his moral code in a world without rules. His path to power is fraught with violence and personal sacrifice, as he seeks to defy the expectations of his family and forge his own destiny, ultimately questioning the cost of living by his own rules in a society defined by sin and the pursuit of the American Dream.

Keywords: Live by Night, 2016, Ben Affleck, Crime, Drama, Prohibition, Gangster, Florida.

Plot:

The story opens in 1926 Boston, introducing Joe Coughlin, a World War I veteran who has rejected his police captain father's upright path to become a small-time thief. Despite his criminal activities, Joe maintains a personal code, refusing to kill. He is in a dangerous secret relationship with Emma Gould, the mistress of Albert White, a powerful Irish mob boss. Joe and his crew plan a bank robbery, which goes awry when a police officer is killed. During their escape, Joe and Emma are cornered by Albert White's men. Joe manages to escape, but Emma is captured. Captain Thomas Coughlin, Joe's father, saves Joe from further immediate trouble but is disgusted by his son's choices.

Joe is eventually caught and sentenced to three years in prison. During his incarceration, he learns that Emma was found dead, supposedly drowned, though he suspects Albert White's involvement. Upon his release, bitter and seeking revenge, Joe approaches Maso Pescatore, the Italian mob boss and Albert White's rival. Joe offers to work for Pescatore, specifically asking to be sent to Tampa, Florida, where Albert White is trying to expand his operations. Pescatore agrees, sending Joe and his loyal friend Dion Bartolo to Ybor City, Tampa, to manage the rum-running and gambling rackets. Joe's mission is to expand Pescatore's influence and drive out White's men.

In Ybor City, Joe quickly establishes himself, facing immediate challenges from local law enforcement and the existing criminal elements. He forms an uneasy alliance with Chief Irving Figgis, the local police chief, by paying him off. Joe also meets Graciela Corrales, a Cuban woman who runs a local business and has connections to the Cuban rum trade. They develop a romantic relationship, and Graciela becomes a trusted advisor and partner in his operations. Joe's business thrives, and he expands into legitimate ventures, including a casino, but his success draws the ire of the burgeoning Ku Klux Klan, led by R. D. Pruitt. The KKK, driven by racial and religious prejudice, targets Joe's diverse workforce and clientele, particularly his Cuban and Jewish associates, and seeks to undermine his gambling operations, which they deem immoral.

Chief Figgis's daughter, Loretta, a former aspiring actress who went to Hollywood and became addicted to heroin, returns home a changed woman. She has found God and begins preaching against sin and gambling, specifically targeting Joe's casino. Her sermons gain significant traction, attracting large crowds and turning public opinion against Joe's operations. This complicates Joe's relationship with Chief Figgis, who is torn between his corrupt dealings with Joe and his love for his daughter. Loretta's impassioned speeches and growing influence become a major obstacle for Joe, threatening his entire empire and the peace he has carefully built with the community.

The conflict with the KKK escalates, leading to violent confrontations. Joe, with the help of Dion and Graciela's brother Esteban, retaliates against the Klan, demonstrating his ruthlessness and commitment to protecting his business and people. He understands that to survive, he must be as brutal as his enemies, a stark contrast to his earlier refusal to kill. Meanwhile, Albert White makes his move into Tampa, leading to a direct confrontation with Joe. White reveals that Emma Gould did not drown; he killed her for her betrayal and framed Joe. This revelation reignites Joe's desire for revenge. Loretta, in her zeal, attempts to publicly expose the KKK's leader, Pruitt, leading to her brutal murder by the Klan, which is then covered up by Chief Figgis, who is devastated and seeks his own form of justice.

The death of Loretta sends shockwaves through the community and pushes Joe to a breaking point. He learns that Chief Figgis, consumed by grief and rage, has begun systematically eliminating the KKK members responsible for Loretta's death, using his position to orchestrate their demise. Joe, realizing the depth of Figgis's suffering and his own complicity in the chain of events, respects the chief's silent vengeance. The climax arrives with a final showdown between Joe and Albert White. Joe, having grown into a formidable and respected figure in the criminal underworld, outmaneuvers White, ultimately killing him in a brutal confrontation that serves as both his long-sought revenge and a definitive break from his past self. He has fully embraced the violent world he once tried to navigate with a moral compass.

In the aftermath, Joe reflects on the path he has taken. He has built an empire, but at a tremendous personal cost, losing loved ones and his own innocence. He decides to leave the criminal life behind, selling his businesses and moving away with Graciela and their son. He seeks a quiet life, hoping to find redemption and peace away from the violence and corruption that defined his past. The film concludes with Joe attempting to build a legitimate life, haunted by the ghosts of his past but determined to provide a better future for his family, acknowledging the inherent difficulty of escaping the consequences of a life lived by night.

Cast (Lead Roles):

• Ben Affleck as Joe Coughlin
• Elle Fanning as Loretta Figgis
• Brendan Gleeson as Thomas Coughlin
• Chris Messina as Dion Bartolo
• Sienna Miller as Emma Gould
• Zoe Saldana as Graciela Corrales
• Robert Glenister as Albert White
• Miguel Pimentel as Esteban
• Max Casella as Digger Pescatore
• Remo Girone as Maso Pescatore
• Chris Cooper as Chief Irving Figgis

Crew:

• Director: Ben Affleck
• Screenwriter: Ben Affleck (based on the novel by Dennis Lehane)
• Producers: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson, Ben Affleck
• Cinematography: Robert Richardson
• Editor: William Goldenberg
• Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams

Release Info:

• Original Release Date: December 25, 2016 (limited); January 13, 2017 (wide)
• Language: English
• Genre: Crime, Drama
• Running Time: 129 minutes
• Accolades: None significant