Light of My Life

Saban Films | Release Date: August 9, 2019

6.3	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 41 Ratings

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Jennifer626Jan 9, 2020

When an individual holds too much sway over the creation of a film, the end product almost always suffers. Tom Cruise, well-known for his tight control over the Mission Impossible franchise, micromanaged the 2017 remake of "The Mummy" toWhen an individual holds too much sway over the creation of a film, the end product almost always suffers. Tom Cruise, well-known for his tight control over the Mission Impossible franchise, micromanaged the 2017 remake of "The Mummy" to death. "Light of my Life" does not pretend to be a big-budget blockbuster, but its quality is undermined for a similar reason.

Casey Affleck is the director, writer, and lead actor in this film. When he wrote the many monologues for the father to sermonize, no one took him aside and advised him to cut their number and length. When he delivered the monologues as the father, no one told him that he needed to make his stuttering monotone more lilting and engaging. And clearly no one informed Casey as director that beginning the movie with a 12-minute (truth!) recitation of a derivative Noah's Ark story would kill audience interest at the outset.

And that is the frustration I had throughout this movie. There were enough variations on the road trip theme that this could have been an enthralling movie. The father and daughter aren't merely trying to survive a post-apocalyptic environment. He needs to protect her from the real-life horrors that young women risk today, but on an astronomically larger scale.

The movie shines when it illustrates these risks and progresses the plot by driving them in their quest for the ultimate safe house. When the pair was forced to gauge the trustworthiness of new companions or they were fleeing from undesired ones, I was engaged and cheering them on. But active moments make up far too little of the film. If you watch the trailer, you've seen clips from most of them. Independent advisors would undoubtedly have counseled Affleck accordingly.

The movie also brushes past the details of both the epidemic and life after the epidemic. When the couple visited a government dispensary or the father mentioned how critical it was to have proper ID, I wanted to learn more about the world had morphed in response to the loss of half of its population. But no, the film doggedly returned to more rambling from the father as the two cowered in a foxhole.

I watched the whole movie because I was interested enough in the ending, but I strung it out over 3 days to minimize the tedium. If you decide to see it, fast forward through the first 12 minutes. You'll thank me, I promise.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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SWEEPtheLEG175Aug 10, 2019

Both actors do a great job, but the story is just too slow. I am a sucker for these types of films and this is by no means a bad film, it just wasn't good. If you like Casey Affleck and films like "The Road"(I do) then you might enjoy thisBoth actors do a great job, but the story is just too slow. I am a sucker for these types of films and this is by no means a bad film, it just wasn't good. If you like Casey Affleck and films like "The Road"(I do) then you might enjoy this movie. ***The next line is about a specific part in the movie, I do not think it is a spoiler(you see some action in the trailer), but if you are worried then stop reading. I really struggled with Casey's character at the end when he drops a weapon knowing there are a few more bad guys to deal with, that is poor writing and takes me out the movie. Nobody would ever do that in a real situation.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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JLuis_001Sep 2, 2019

When I read the synopsis part of me thought of The Road. The beginning reaffirmed it to me but soon the movie gets its own voice, which was something good.

Light of My Life tells the story of a father and his young daughter who is pretendingWhen I read the synopsis part of me thought of The Road. The beginning reaffirmed it to me but soon the movie gets its own voice, which was something good.

Light of My Life tells the story of a father and his young daughter who is pretending to be his son. The reason for this is a global plague that attacks only women and because of it pretty much all of the women have died.

Up to that point everything looks good but Casey Affleck makes several mistakes and the film falls several times and his decision to impose an indie horror style that has been seen too much in recent years makes it a bit repetitive in narrative and visual terms. The fastest comparison that comes to mind is ''It Comes At Night'' and that's where perhaps the key problem of this film lies: Affleck confuses things and in his apparent attempt to make a more artistic film loses the rhythm too many times and the narrative slowness doesn't make it any favors. More than once the pace will test your patience.

In general terms it never ceases to be a good film, nothing exceptional but nothing disappointing either.
I liked it although I wasn't amazed as I expected however as a filmmaking debut it was good enough.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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