Live by Night

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Live by Night is available in Australia on Netflix right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. Its 6/10 TMDB score, built from 1,416 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Ben Affleck anchors it, but the writing does the real work. Start it on Netflix whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Live by Night earns its spot. Live by Night treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. A group of Boston-bred gangsters set up shop in balmy Florida during the Prohibition era, facing off against the competition and the Ku Klux Klan. Credit to Ben Affleck and Elle Fanning for grounding it — this is a cast that earns the twists. It hit screens in 2016. The plot mechanics of Live by Night never overwhelm the human cost underneath them. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

If you cannot walk away from a good mystery, Live by Night will keep you hooked. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Ben Affleck's performance is the kind that shows up on best-of lists years later. If you have been looking for something to fill the gap left by a recently finished story, this is a reliable answer.