12 Movies That Were Dead On Arrival

Ben Affleck’s career has been an up and down affair, but by the 2010s it seemed he had found something like acceptance. Having reemerged as a director, he had the makings of a modern Clint Eastwood, performing on both sides of the camera in the same film to commendable results.

With 2016’s Live By Night, one can only conclude he pushed his luck too far. A ‘20s based bootlegging drama in the vein of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, the film was as glossy and handsome as its multi talented star and director, but with little in the way of depth or narrative intrigue. It seemed like Affleck’s excuse to play dress up in cool olden day clothing and to act the tough guy. This is the first screenplay credited solely to the actor, possibly a worrying sign.

The scale of the loss is unlikely to deter any company from hiring Affleck, whose filmography is otherwise seriously impressive, but the failure of this somewhat insipid and unoriginal crime drama was nothing if not predictable. He has not helmed another film since, but with luck this will be a minor set back rather than a career derailing experience.