Light of My Life

Casey Affleck directs and stars in this thoughtful survival drama, which is reminiscent of such post-apocalyptic films as 2009's The Road. Affleck plays a single father struggling to protect his daughter (Anna Pniowsky) in a world ravaged by a pandemic that has left her the only female still alive. While the film takes its time getting to where it wants to go, starting with a prolonged opening scene that is, admittedly, rich with subtext, the father and daughter's circumstances raise some interesting discussions about the way women are frequently treated in the world, making this a lot more than a survival story. Affleck and Pniowsky share a warm and believable bond on-screen, with the former channelling a quiet intensity that builds when trouble comes calling. His co-star's mixture of innocence and resilience is similarly fascinating, and Pniowsky injects energy into scenes that could easily have felt lifeless and dull. So while Light of My Life is often hampered by its leisurely pace, it features great performances and asks questions worthy of discussion.