Light of My Life

Casey Affleck writes, directs and stars in this cross between The Road, Leave No Trace and The Stand that, while feeling a little too familiar at first, rises above its unoriginality in its third act thanks to performances by Affleck and his young costar (Ann 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 the daughter, nicknamed Rag, Dad has her dress as a boy and tries to keep her out of the public eye. Much of the movie is the two telling stories to each other in what feels like improv, and those scenes are actually kind of fun. When the two wind up in the home of a friendly preacher (Tom Bower), the film goes to a new level. The last act of the movie is its best, where Affleck gets to show off his chops at directing a thriller. The film isn’t original enough to be considered an overall success, but the central performances make it worthwhile. Elisabeth Moss, in a role reminiscent of Charlize Theron’s in The Road, plays Rag’s mom in flashbacks. (Available for streaming during a limited theatrical release.)