“Live by Night,” the latest 

film from writer-director-actor 
Ben Affleck (“Argo”), stumbles 
in its opening minute. In a sepia 
montage of his World War I 
service, Affleck’s Joe Coughlin 
reveals that his experience in 
the terrible European war taught 
him not that violence is bad, but 
that he should fundamentally 
distrust rules. That’s really all 
we know of Coughlin, besides 
his Irish origin and that he has a 
police chief for a father (Brendan 
Gleeson, “Calvary”). He became 
a 
gangster 
— 
a 
relatively 

powerful one at that (though 
the extent and mechanics of his 
success is rather oblique) — in 
prohibition-era Boston. Little 
internal conflict, little moral 
struggle. Just breaking the rules. 
It’s not really a motive, but it’s an 
excuse for Affleck to have a lot 
of fun behind and in front of the 
camera.

Breaking the rules means a 

lot of killing, appropriate for 
a gangster movie. Coughlin 
moves from Boston to Florida 
to escape his rival gangster, 
Albert White (Robert Glenister, 
“Close to the Enemy”), enraged 
at Coughlin for an affair with 
his mistress, Emma (Sienna 
Miller, “Foxcatcher”). In Ybor 
City, outside of Tampa, he 
works in a rum business run by 
Italian Mafioso Maso Pescatore 
(Remo Girone, “La Piovra”), 
all the while looking to expand 
into gambling in Sarasota once 
prohibition inevitably ends. He’s 
reunited with his old partner, 
Dion (Chris Messina, “Cake”), 
and finds love in Graciela (Zoe 
Saldana, “Star Trek Beyond”), 
whose brother runs a business 
in the area. Coughlin maneuvers 
around the local police chief 
(Chris Cooper, “Demolition”), 

whose brother-in-law (Matthew 
Maher, 
“Gone 
Baby 
Gone”) 

works in the Ku Klux Klan 
and whose daughter Loretta 
(Elle Fanning, “20th Century 
Women”) goes off to Hollywood 
but 
becomes 
an 
anti-vice 

Christian preacher, throwing a 
wrench in Coughlin’s plans.

Confused 
yet? 
It’s 
only 

natural, given the sheer density 
of the plot. But 
even complicated 
stories can entice 
the 
audience, 

revealing 
details 

slowly 
and 

methodically. 
“Live 
by 
Night” 

fails 
on 
this 

front, 
revealing 

details 
quickly, 

all at once and 
without 
building 

up. Affleck, who 
adapted 
Dennis 

Lehane’s novel of the same 
name, uses extensive voice over 
by Coughlin as a crutch; he 
blandly outlines his motives and 
the ensuing events, but with so 
little clarity that fundamental 
names and faces are left unclear, 
even at the end. Affleck seems 
more concerned with getting to 
the elaborate set pieces (which 
themselves 
are 
beautifully 

crafted, though often times 
confusing for those following 
along), but he forgot to show 
what they mean.

And that’s a problem when 

the 
film 
is 
fundamentally 

a 
dialogue-heavy 
movie 

masquerading as a gangster 
action film. Take the romance 
between Emma and Joe that 
propels the opening of the film. 
We learn rather quickly the two 
are together, aided by Harry 
Gregson-Williams’s 
(“The 

Martian”) lush score, but we feel 
nothing for them. They’re just in 
a secretive relationship, devoid 
of any true passion that we can 
discern from the screen, aside 

from furious kissing.

The film’s reliance on dialogue 

and voice over to reveal key bits 
of information is complicated by 
a litany of sound issues: first, that 
the sound mixing itself is rather 
poor, so the characters’ words 
aren’t very clear; and second, 
that “Live by Night” takes place 
during the melting pot era of 
immigration, but before the 

actual 
melting 

itself — the wildly 
varying 
accents 

are 
strong 
and 

it takes work to 
adjust as rapidly 
as the screenplay 
demands. 
And 

Affleck’s camera, 
in those heavy-
dialogue 
scenes, 

has little sense 
of 
placement. 

Every 
cut 
is 

a 
distraction, 

slightly off-putting, which can 
increase tension but decreases 
comprehension.

Ben Affleck, whose directorial 

work to date has been a success, 
is just not as great as an actor. 
His 
voice, 
a 
monotonous 

extended vocal fry adorned with 
a strangely somewhat modern 
Boston accent, delivers lines 
reliably but with no emotional 
support or sense of spontaneity. 
There’s 
nothing 
that 
feels 

truly alive in the film, albeit 
beautifully rendered.

There is something special 

about this film, though. At those 
few moments when ’20s cars’ 
engines are roaring and Tommy 
guns are blaring, scored by 
music that sounds like a swarm 
of bees taking vengeance on a 
hive heckler, “Live by Night” 
comes alive. And a sun-soaked 
gangster-laden Florida on the 
verge 
of 
massive 
economic 

expansion mixed with rapidly 
changing 
demographics, 
a 

strange rarity in cinema history, 
is enchanting visual candy.

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Tuesday, January 17, 2017 — 5A

“The Young Pope” is HBO’s 

newest original series that, 
in 
accordance 
with 
HBO’s 

niche, flirts with themes of 
disturbia and abuse of power. 
This time, however, it does so 
in a manner that takes on the 
heart of religion itself. In what 
is possibly Jude Law’s (“The 
Holiday”) 
most 
outlandish 

performance, 
he 
portrays 

a youthful Pope Pius XIII. 
Perhaps the most frightening 
aspect of this new drama is 
just how disturbing change can 
feel in a place untouched by the 
ages. After watching just an 
episode, I’m unsure whether 
I should continue with the 
series or consider returning to 
church.

Despite the backwardness 

of it all, the series poses an 
interesting question in the 
unprecedented 
election 
of 

a, well, young Pope: How 
might the new Pope’s more 
conservative ideals fit into the 
Catholic church moving in a 
more progressive direction? 
It’s an interesting idea that 
(though unheard of) deserves 
consideration. However, it is 
also quite an uncomfortable 
hypothetical 
to 
ponder. 

Fictional Pope Pius XIII — also 
known as Lenny Belardo, The 
Holy Father or His Eminence 
— is an unconventional Pope, 
one who claims heresy against 
a carbonated beverage and 
demands the papal crown’s 
deliverance from Washington 
D.C. for personal enjoyment. 
In one instance, he goes as 

far to question the existence 
of God in a conversation that 
can either be interpreted with 
a twisted sense of humor or 
as an actual confession, as he 
does claim not to buy into the 
tradition of Confession. After 
all, what should the Pope have 
to confess?

Although the corruption of 

power is palpable at times, it is 
the instances in which Lenny 
silently abuses his power — 
picking at the inner workings 
of the Vatican as a skilled 
musician 
might 

pluck the strings 
of their instrument 
— that are most 
captivating. 
Cleverly 
wicked, 

Law’s performance 
of the new Pope 
is at its best when 
he quietly asserts 
dominance over the 
Church, reminding 
his followers of his 
divine powers. If 
nothing else, it is a 
depiction of how a 
narcissist’s rise to power in one 
of the most powerful places on 
Earth could affect everything 
we know.

Though “The Young Pope” 

can feel outrageous at times, 
it’s important to remember 
that the series is quite aware 
of the boundaries its creators 
are 
pushing 
with 
religion 

and 
social 
controversies. 

When posed with a question 
regarding God’s house, Lenny 
muses: “Half of a duplex … 
with 
a 
private 
swimming 

pool.” With multiple fourth-
wall transgressions, the series 
is hyper-cognizant of its own 

mordant sense of humor. From 
pop music cues to talks of 
increasing cell phone coverage 
within the Vatican, this new 
Pope listens to no voice other 
than his own.

However, there are times 

in 
which 
one 
is 
unsure 

whether to laugh with mirth 
or nervousness. “Jokes are 
rarely telling,” Lenny proffers, 
a saying that is ironically in 
contradiction to the premise of 
the series. The series ponders 
the more serious questions of 

power abuse in 
a darker drama. 
Though 
sassy 

at 
times, 
it’s 

important 
to 

remember 
the 

parallels 
the 

“The 
Young 

Pope” 
draws 

to 
the 
social 

commentary of 
today.

With a flick 

of 
a 
cigarette 

and the spilling 
ash striking the 

Vatican’s marble floors, Law 
breathes, “There’s a new Pope 
now.” One cannot help but 
enthusiastically 
agree 
with 

that statement, as he gracefully 
glides over the Vatican as if 
it were a stage, a smug smile 
plastered to his face. “The 
Young Pope” questions religion 
and takes on challenging and 
outlandish subject matter, the 
cinematographically 
pleasing 

shots, partnered with Jude 
Law’s 
stellar 
performance 

and the striking similarities 
between today’s culture, make 
watching “The Young Pope” a 
dark pleasure. 

DANIEL HENSEL

Daily Film Editor

‘The Young Pope’ is as 
captivating as it is absurd

Pittsburgh’s Code Orange does 

not care about rules. They don’t 
care about genre definitions, 
expectations or limits of any kind. 
The band has been redefining 
hardcore music from the ground 
up since their inception, and on 
their third album, Forever, they 
show no signs of stopping.

Forever is as beautifully brutal 

as the band has ever been, while 
throwing in signature twists and 
turns that have catapulted them to 
their current spotlight. Drummer 
and vocalist Jami Morgan said 
the band’s latest album is different 
and highlighted their upcoming 
promotional tour that hits Detroit 
on January 17, 2017 at El Club.

“There’s 
all 
these 
textual 

layers and soundscapes, and 
there’s super hard-hitting stuff 
and there’s stuff that’s super 
dynamic,” Morgan said. “I felt 
like all these different forms of art 
on the album cover represented 
all those worlds coming together; 
kind of saying there are no rules.” 

The album is boundless, at 

once tapping into what can be 
expected of Code Orange while 
reaching farther than the band 
has gone before. With grunge-
pop curveballs like “Bleeding 
in the Blur” and the snarling 
shoegaze on “Ugly,” Forever 
is an engulfing album and a 
captivating listen from the start.

The tour lineup is as dynamic 

as the album.

“There’s different bands on the 

whole tour, and it’s super diverse 
and that’s how I wanted it to be,” 
Morgan said.

The Detroit date will feature 

Youth Code, an electronic duo 
reminiscent of Crystal Castles 
with harsher vocals, in direct 
support. 
Additional 
support 

comes from Lifeless, a heavy-
hitting 
hardcore 
group 
that 

utilizes lightning fast rhythms.

Code 
Orange’s 
live 

performances are evolving just as 
much as the band’s songwriting. 

“For this tour our guitarist kind 

of made a whole album’s worth of 
music, original music, that is like 
weird samples. It’s really well 
put together,” Morgan said. “It’s 
like a mixture of everything from 
soundtracking music, to weird 
industrial music, to just noise 
music, and it’s playing between all 
the bands at the show.”

The 
band 
is 
reinventing 

what can be expected of their 
performances, while amplifying 
their uniquely brooding aesthetic. 
Code Orange is unapologetically 
taking power over their own 
expression, keeping their sound 
and performance fresh while 
sticking with their thematic 
status quo.

“I think the last record (I Am 

King) we did was very much about 
kind of coming into your own, and 
being better than who you think 
you are,” Morgan said. “I think 
this record very much well deals 
with that, dealing with backlash 
from other people to what you’re 
doing, and at the same time, kind 
of just learning how to deal with 

pain and internal struggle on top 
of that.”

Jumping off I Am King, Code 

Orange 
deliberately 
moved 

between different aspects of 
metal — creating a new way of 
performing. 

“We’re kind of setting off and 

doing our own little DIY version 
— our version of performance 
art… making art and blending it 
with this straightforward, punch 
in the jaw, painful, hardcore metal 
music, kind of blurring those lines 
a little bit more, in our own way.”

Code Orange keeps their music 

relevant by putting tremendous 
effort into keeping their followers 
on their toes.

“I’m 
literally 
constantly 

thinking about this stuff 24/7 
and it’s almost like until we finish 
a record, it’s like an unfinished 
puzzle and all the pieces are 
mixed up,” Morgan said. “We 
knew 
what 
we 
wanted 
to 

accomplish, but at the same time 
it’s hard to get there sometimes. 
It’s very rewarding.”

As stated in an interview 

with Rolling Stone, it’s a painful 
process putting these pieces 
together, but Forever proves to be 
a rewarding result.

The show in Detroit will be an 

opportunity to see Code Orange 
unleash one of their most diverse 
sets to date at the stunningly 
intimate El Club, and it’s the 
perfect place for metal fans and 
newcomers alike to experience 
one of the most prominent bands 
bringing daring change to metal’s 
sphere of music. 

Code Orange comes to El

DEATHWISH INC.

Standard issue band-against-a-wall.

DOMINIC POLSINELLI

Daily Arts Writer

B-

“The Young Pope”

Series Premiere

Sundays @ 9 p.m.

HBO

Visually appealing ‘Live 
by Night’ muddles plot

C-

“Live by Night”

Warner Bros. 

Pictures

Rave CInemas, 

Quality 16

MEGAN MITCHELL

Daily Arts Writer

FILM REVIEW
COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW

TV REVIEW

Classifieds

Call: #734-418-4115
Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com

ACROSS
1 Baja vacation
spot
5 Tree’s sticky
output
8 Neck mark from
necking
14 Razor name
15 Suffix with pay
16 Taking the place
(of)
17 Silly sort
19 Polish port where
Solidarity was
founded
20 Music producer
Brian
21 Dueling sword
22 “Hannah and __
Sisters”: Woody
Allen film
23 Formal
pronouncements
25 Zeros
30 Pay with plastic
32 __ of: done with
33 Not at home
34 The Judds, e.g.
35 Migration
formation
36 Move in the wind
37 Anniversary
celebration at the
Met, say
42 Numbered
musical piece
43 Grunting female
44 Slowing, on a
music score:
Abbr.
45 Little point to pick
46 Sick __ dog
47 Spitball need
50 Disputed Mideast
territory
53 R&B singer
Baker
55 “That’s all __
wrote”
56 Fermented
honey drink
58 The USA’s 50
59 Nissan model
62 Infantile
vocalizations,
and a hint to the
starts of 17-, 25-,
37- and 50-
Across
64 Series of related
emails
65 Luau instrument
66 Curved molding
67 Fort Bragg mil.
branch

68 Boston hrs.
69 Dandelion, e.g.

DOWN
1 Confined, as a
bird
2 Not accented, as
syllables
3 Ornamental pin
4 Doofus
5 Ivory in the tub
6 State without
proof
7 Prefix with -lithic
8 Bogart film set in
a California
range
9 Truly
10 Irish county
bordering
Limerick
11 Next of __
12 Wide shoe widths
13 Guffaw
18 Face adversity
well
24 Cries of triumph
26 Layered cookie
27 Bridal attire
28 Avocado dip, for
short
29 Eyelid sore
31 Dates one
person
exclusively

35 Ex-GIs’ gp.
36 Lustrous fabric
37 Bell hit with a
padded mallet
38 Samoan capital
39 Skating leap
40 Have a good
laugh
41 Address for a
noblewoman
46 Traditional Hindu
retreat
47 Delivers a lecture

48 Facial expression
49 Postwar British
prime minister
51 Autumn blossom
52 Suffuse (with)
54 Queried
57 Help with a heist
59 Actor Erwin
60 “Come again?”
sounds
61 FDR agency
63 Illegal parker’s
risk

By Alan DerKazarian
©2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
01/17/17

01/17/17

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

xwordeditor@aol.com

THESIS EDITING 
joanhutchinson@att.net
www.writeonA2.com

FALL 2017‑18 Apts @ 1015 Packard
2 Bedroom ‑ $1370 ‑ 2nd floor
3 Bedroom ‑ $1380 ‑ basement

1 parking space avail for $50/m per unit

Deinco 734‑996‑1991

EFF, 1 & 2 Bdrm Apts Fall 2017‑18
Many locations near campus

Rents from $850 (eff) ‑ $1415 (2 bdrm)

Most include Heat and Water
www.cappomanagement.com
734‑996‑1991

 ARBOR PROPERTIES 

Award‑Winning Rentals in Kerrytown,

Central Campus, Old West Side, 
Burns Park. Now Renting for 2017. 
734‑649‑8637. www.arborprops.com 

2017‑2018 LEASING
Apartments Going Fast!
Prime Student Housing
761‑8000. www.primesh.com
Efficiencies:
344 S. Division $855
610 S. Forest $870 ‑ 1 Left
1 Bedrooms:
511 Hoover $1045/$1065
508 Division $945
*Varies by location: Full Furnished, 
Parking Included, Free Ethernet

4 BEDROOM HOUSE Fall 2017
3 Parking Spaces Washer/Dryer
827 Brookwood ‑ $2900 + Utilities
Deinco Properties 734‑996‑1991

1 BEDROOM APTS Near N. Campus
Fall 2017‑18 ‑ $900/m + $25/m Utilities

Each unit has one parking space.
909 & 915 Wall St.
Deinco Properties 734‑996‑1991

2 BEDROOM + Study Fall 2017
2 Parking Spaces Washer/Dryer
Max occupancy is 4
935 S. Division ‑ $2250 + Utilities
Cappo Mgmt 734‑996‑1991

FOR RENT

SERVICES

