Affleck as Joe (minor spoliers)

Having enjoyed the book but not yet seen the movie (seems like it was gone from theaters before it arrived) and knowing the generally lackluster reviews, does anyone feel the movie could have been better if a different, preferably younger actor had played Joe Coughlin?

Nothing against Affleck since he's fine as an actor/director in general but maybe the directing also could have been better if he didn't have the lead role responsibility.

I know adults routinely portray teenagers but the story follows a character from his 19-mid-20's and granted one who had been through a lot of maturing/lost childhood due to grim family background and hoodlum lifestyle, the novel still seems to emphasize his youthful vigor but also naivete in terms of love and the world in general. Wonder if this casting misstep contributed to taking a pretty well researched piece of historical fiction blended with classic (if not wholly original) noir themes into from what I'm hearing, a more contrived and stale adaptation.

Obviously my expectations for this film are now pretty low but I'll still see it and try to come to my own conclusions but I'm doubly disappointed that its relative flop and the age issue would makes the chances of an adaptation of the sequel (in my mind an even better novel), World Gone By, a near impossibility.