Light of My Life and 4 Other Movies Starring Casey Affleck That Will Break Your Heart
Be sure to prepare a pack of tissues in advance.
Casey Affleck is a uniquely talented actor who seems to remain in the shadow of his older brother, Ben. Here are five films in which Casey breaks viewers' hearts and proves himself to be the more talented brother.
1. Gerry, 2002
Two friends went on a hike, strayed from the tourist trail, and got lost in the vast desert. Their wanderings lead them nowhere, but in this case, the journey is more important than the destination.
Gerry, one of Gus Van Sant's experimental films, is, above all, an observation of a man who has lost contact with the outside world.
Friendship crumbles under the onslaught of not so much animal instincts, but rather midday madness and the impossibility of communication. Gerry features stunning performances by Casey Affleck and Matt Damon.
2. Light of My Life, 2019
Perhaps Affleck's most personal role is a father saving his daughter from the horrors of a post-apocalyptic future, as he wrote the dialogue and script and shot the film.
Light of My Life, Casey's first feature film as a director and screenwriter, is imbued with paternal love from start to finish. As they hike through eternally rainy forests and move from one abandoned house to another, the main character tells his daughter fairy tales, teaches her about life, and vows to protect her until his last breath.
3. Our Friend, 2019
Unlike most films in this genre, Our Friend does not focus on the dying woman's relatives or the patient herself, but rather on a family friend. Casey Affleck plays Matthew Teague, the patient's husband and a real-life journalist.
His article expressing gratitude to Dane Faucheux for staying with them during the last 14 months of Teague's life won several journalistic awards and served as the primary source for the film.
The autobiographical nature of the story, coupled with Affleck's acting skills, creates a sincerity that is often lacking in films of this kind.
4. Manchester by the Sea, 2016
Casey Affleck probably played the leading role of his career in Manchester by the Sea – it was for this role that he received a well-deserved Oscar. Lee is an outcast with a tragic past who becomes the reluctant guardian of his nephew after his brother's death.
Rather than unfolding into a cute comedy as is usually the case with plots about adults and teenagers, the familiar plot in Manchester by the Sea becomes a heartbreaking story about forgiveness and self-acceptance.
5. Ain't Them Bodies Saints, 2013
The melodrama showcased not only David Lowery's unique talent, but also the chemistry between Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara. Ain't Them Bodies Saints is less a story of love than it is a tale of the separation of failed Bonnie and Clyde impersonators.
The lovers fertilize the soil with someone else's blood and their own tears. They write long letters to each other and swear eternal love. However, the longer their relationship lasts, the more obvious its doom becomes to an outside observer.