The Light of My Life may seem like another horror movie about family survival in the midst of the apocalypse. However, in fact, Casey Affleck's painting is a deep psychological drama that evokes the sincere emotions of the viewer.
Casey Affleck and his painting "The Light of My Life"
Casey Affleck is often compared to his older brother, Ben Affleck. This is quite logical, because Ben is much more successful and famous, despite the small age difference. Quite possibly, because of this, it is much more difficult for Casey to make a name for himself at Kinoolimp, although he is moving towards his goal very confidently.
Casey Affleck has starred in a large number of films throughout his career, but when it comes to the work that defines him as an actor, he has long shown a certain penchant for slow, craft cinematography - for films that allow every shot to be enjoyed.
The drama Manchester by the Sea (2016), in which Casey Affleck played the best role that won him an Oscar, was no exception.
Light of My Life, the first film in which Casey Affleck acted as both the leading actor and the main director. This painting is woven from the same deliberately twisting, slowly flowing fabric of indie art house. Light of My Life is a dystopian saga about a family battle for survival in the midst of oblivion, with hints of a sci-fi apocalypse like The Road or A Quiet Place.
This film became the debut for the young Canadian actress Anna Pniewski. Before that, the girl starred only in episodic roles in TV series, but now we can talk about her as a rising movie star.
The film also starred:
- Elisabeth Moss (mother);
- Tom Bauer (Tom);
- Timothy Webber (Lemmy);
- Hrothgar Matthews (Calvin);
- Patrick Keating;
- Hori Grim.
What is the painting "The Light of My Life" about?
The Light of My Life was filmed in the Okanaga Valley, British Columbia, in a forested area where the atmosphere of gray late evening reigned. The film tells the story of a father, played by Affleck, and his daughter, Rag (Anna Pniowski). The girl is 11 years old, she has a short haircut because she pretends to be the son of the protagonist. The reason for this oddity is that the two are at the center of a deadly plague epidemic that only affects women, most of whom appear to have died (the girl was born at the beginning of the epidemic).
There are a lot of flashbacks in the picture - X-rays of the deceased mother, shots with a strange rash on the body, human skeletons. All these details gradually add up into a single puzzle, explaining to the viewer the reasons for what is happening on the screen. However, any descriptions of plot moves run the risk of instantly turning into a spoiler, because the real development of the plot in the film is minimal.
Critics reproach Affleck for "sagging plot." The viewer goes to "The Light of My Life" in anticipation of the post-apocalyptic drama, and gets a deep dive into the nooks and crannies of the human soul.
There is no horror in this picture, no clashes with zombies and bloodthirsty fights: otherwise it would look like dozens of other paintings in which the family survives against the background of general chaos. At the center of Casey Affleck's leisurely psychological narrative is the relationship between father and daughter, which is elevated to an absolute.
All other characters in the picture are very poorly worked out, in fact, they are just a kind of background. For this reason, the characters of the two main characters seem even more "convex" and bright. In The Light of My Life, Casey Affleck remains true to himself and his desire to show the hero's soul, and not just create a spectacular picture.
