Only God Forgives (2013)

Like most, Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive captivated me. It was a film that I immediately felt a vast love for, and that intense adoration has only grown on further viewing – for its style, poetry like nature and the intimidating feeling I felt from it. I had previously, without knowledge of Refn, seen Bronson – another film that impressed me because of its power – but the subsequent second viewing of it alongside introducing myself to the Pusher trilogy, Fear X, Bleeder and Valhalla Rising, made me into the Refn fan that I am today. All of films work on their setting and violent thematic content to encapsulate their tales in provocative manner, all of which remain true to themselves in their vision. I didn’t feel the encouragement that some found with Valhalla Rising, but I respected Refn’s decisive decision making to fulfil his ambition.

Only God Forgives, the new film from Refn, has many of the same qualities thatValhalla Rising failed to excite me with. This film, from the opening sequences, makes it graphically clear to the viewer what they are about to watch – a lucid, beautiful nightmare of slow-burning power. Saying that may be conflicting, but its easy identifiable to me how Refn is attempting to portray his visionary madness. In the cinematography and framing used throughout the film, the influence of the destructively brilliant David Lynch is visually clear – Only God Forgives works off a bloodthirsty red colour palette to show the insanity of the film with complete disregard for visual subtly. Is that a criticism? Absolutely not. Whilst I often appreciate the cinematography of a film to not overshadow the portrayal of its tale,Only God Forgives utilises this lack of photographic subtly to its full advantage.

It’s undoubtedly clear to me why people will loathe this film and as it unfolds the patience required can be excruciatingly frustrating, but one you’re past the line of adapting to the poisonous tone of this psychedelic nightmare, you’ll be dragged in hopefully by its power. I felt this visionary madness from the darkening first moments and my addiction just grew and grew. It’s a massacre of violent proportions, all heightened by the harnessing poignancy of the work from Ryan Gosling and Kristin Scott Thomas and the dark witted force of its silence. I beg of its detracters to revisit immediately.

85/100

The Place Beyond the Pines (2013)

Derek Cianfrance’s debut feature Blue Valentine is one of the most emotionally devastating portrayals of love, family and everything else that we as human being seek to achieve in our lives. It is a film like no other romance in existence, because it accomplishes something quite extraordinary in its unorthodox structuring – a relationship is built, whilst at the same time it is destroyed. On viewing after viewing, the film’s existential power and heart only grows stronger for me, and I would happily proclaim it to be the quintessential love story of the century thus far.

Although the scope of The Place Beyond the Pines is much more advanced and ambitious, the two films are not that dissimilar. Blue Valentine analyses the rise and fall of a relationship in the same way that this depicts the lifespan of two families spread over three invisible segments. The first segment which introduces Ryan Gosling’s Motorcycle rider Luke Glanton seeking to provide for his family by robbing banks is no doubt where The Place Beyond the Pines is at its most lethal and devastating. Luke is a tough-as-nails figure, he is covered in tattoos from head to toes and he is dangerous, but he’s also a caring, passionate human being. He loves his Motorcycle and he loves his young son – at the very moment Gosling screams at the top of his lungs as he holds a bank hostage, I thought I was witnessing a masterpiece unfolding before my eyes. The power, the tension and the fluidity of the piece is astonishing, but it all soon goes downhill from there.

Without giving too much away, the film then transitions to Bradley Cooper’s police officer character. Cooper’s portrayal is of noteworthy importance to the act and his work here (as in Silver Linings Playbook) truly cements him as a talent to look out for, but the flow is completely shattered. Where Gosling’s act depicts scenes of raw power, Cooper’s sequences are a jilted mess. Although the tale is far from boring, it’s very frustrating and pales massively in comparison with the fear that the first scenes gave the film. As Cooper’s story unfolds in ordinary fashion and the title cards displaying “15 Years Later” appear, the story adapts to a new tale. This segment and the final one of the film is set around two young teenagers, one of whom is Cooper’s son. By this time I had lost all faith in the film and the contrivance and the predictability persist throughout to make it quite a chore to handle, the dialogue gets weaker and the irritating performance from Emory Cohen are the most suffering elements of the piece.

The Place Beyond The Pines is a film of immense ambition and strategic film making, but ultimately it’s a disjointed and destitute study of life that I hope I find some greater meaning in on another viewing as opposed to finding even more flaws.

55/100

Half Nelson (2006)

The first time I saw this, I only liked it but on a second viewing, something happened. It hit me with this incredible amount of emotion and I didn’t realise how much power it possesses with such a simplistic and formulaic structure. It’s easily one of the most raw and honest portrayals of life that I’ve ever seen coupled with two quite extreme performances from the highly talented Ryan Gosling, and also from Shareeka Epps. Arguably Gosling’s greatest performance to date and I honestly think he should have grabbed the Academy Award that he was only nominated for. A new favourite, something that will stay with me for a long, long time. Extraordinary film.

100/100