Ben Affleck's Crime Thriller That Bombed at the Box Office Finds Retribution on Streaming

Published Sep 26, 2026, 6:03 AM EDT Conor Sheeran is a Movies and TV features writer for Collider. He has a deep passion for cinema and watches everything from the biggest blockbusters to the smallest indies. While he specializes in movies and television, he has also written about politics, culture, and sports throughout his career. Based in New York City, Conor is also a massive fan of the New York Jets, Mets, and Knicks. He is still waiting for any of those teams to bring home a championship in his lifetime. A member of the National Writers Union and the International Federation of Journalists, Conor is a strong proponent of press freedom and collective action. When you think of Ben Affleck-directed films, your first thought probably goes to his early, contemporary Boston-centric hits like The Town or Gone Baby Gone. Whether he's portraying a thief robbing Fenway Park or following a private detective investigating a girl's disappearance, or a CIA agent struggling to rescue hostages in the Best Picture-winning Argo, Affleck returns to stories about complicated people in complex situations, often operating outside the law. That said, one of his most ambitious crime thrillers, which he directed and starred in, has largely been forgotten. Live By Night, Affleck's ambitious 2016 drama, has fallen by the wayside in terms of discussions of what movies belong in the upper echelon of his filmography. The gangster epic, in the vein of other movies like Goodfellas and Scarface, was written and directed by Affleck, who also starred as the film's lead. Featuring an ensemble cast that also included Zoe Saldaña, Elle Fanning, Chris Messina, Sienna Miller, Brendan Gleeson, and Chris Cooper, Live By Night follows a World War I veteran who returns home to Boston and enters a life of organized crime. Reviews for the movie were less than favorable, and it struggled at the box office, earning less than $25 million on a $65 million budget; as a result, it was easy to dismiss. However, a decade after its release, the movie's shortcomings don't appear as glaring. While its faults are still present, it remains a gorgeously constructed period piece that, at its core, embraces its status as an unapologetically old-fashioned crime saga. 'Live By Night' Was One of Ben Affleck's Most Ambitious Undertakings Based on Dennis Lehane's novel of the same name, Live by Night sees Affleck's character Joe Coughlin return from war to a world he no longer recognizes. Forced to reckon with a life path he didn't expect, he clashes with his police-captain father, played by Brendan Gleeson, as he is pulled further into organized crime. After crossing the wrong gangster in Boston, he heads to Florida at another mob boss's behest. But it's not long before Joe sets his sights on building an empire of his own, run by his own rules. As Live By Night progresses, what begins as an intimate crime story spirals into a saga involving different criminal enterprises, corruption, religious fundamentalism, the Ku Klux Klan, and more. The enormous scope of the narrative is both the movie's biggest strength and most glaring weakness. While the film has more than enough story for a miniseries, it struggles to sustain the narrative for the full runtime. Characters and scenes race by with incredible speed, with many appearing far too briefly to leave a serious impact. It's not a mystery as to why Live By Night remains one of Affleck's lowest-rated films, but for all its faults, no one can deny the scope of its ambition. The determination to make something truly great with a distinct visual flair is what makes this film a truly intriguing entry in Affleck's filmography. 'Live by Night' Has Aged Better Than Its Reputation Image via Warner Bros. Despite its narrative issues, Live By Night's cinematography, set design, and visual feel give the film a grandeur that makes the viewer immediately think of a classic old-school Hollywood gangster movie like The Roaring Twenties or Angels with Dirty Faces. From the shadowy streets of Boston to sun-soaked Florida, cinematographer Robert Richardson helps paint a picture that is beautiful but never lets you forget danger lurks everywhere. Combined with Affleck's talent for directing action, the movie knows how to put on a show. Anyone who remembers thrilling action set pieces like The Town's car chases and shootouts won't be surprised to see that Live By Night comes alive whenever the bullets start flying. Time has been kind to Live By Night simply because it often feels that this is the sort of film that Hollywood tends not to invest in anymore. A more than two-hour-long, R-rated period crime drama aimed at adults that has lavish production design doesn't scream "box office returns." However, it's a film worth watching because it has a story worth telling that, even with its faults, is exciting. It may never surpass The Town as Affleck's defining crime movie, nor does it become a misunderstood masterpiece simply because a decade has passed. But box office failure can sometimes obscure what a film has actually accomplished. Ten years after its premiere, Live By Night looks less like a disaster and more like a fascinating swing from a filmmaker with large ambitions. For fans of this genre, the movie's return to streaming offers a great reason to give Affleck's forgotten gangster epic another chance. Release Date December 25, 2016