Casey Affleck writes, directs and stars in Light of My Life, a cross between The Road, Leave No Trace and The Stand. While the film feels a little too familiar, it rises above the unoriginality in its third act thanks to performances by Affleck and his young co-star, Anna Pniowsky.
A father (Affleck) and daughter (Pniowsky) are living off the land after a plague has wiped out most of the planet’s female population. To protect his daughter, nicknamed Rag, Dad has her dress as a boy and tries to keep her out of the public eye.
Much of the movie involves the two telling stories to each other in what feels like improv; those scenes are actually kind of fun. When the two wind up in the home of a friendly preacher (Tom Bower), the film reaches a new level. The last act of the movie is its best, where Affleck gets to show off his chops at directing a thriller.
Elisabeth Moss, in a role reminiscent of Charlize Theron’s in The Road, plays Reg’s mom in flashbacks.
The film isn’t original enough to be an overall success, but the central performances make it worthwhile.
Light of My Life is available via online sources including iTunes and Amazon.com.
