Redbox Review: "Only God Forgives" Could Have Been Much More.

Only God Forgives

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Vithaya Pansringarm.
Rated R for strong bloody violence including grisly images, sexual content and language.

Nicolas Winding Refn has a way of taking seemingly simple material and filming it in a typically gory and art house way. Such direction is very apparent in 2011's Drive (a real dazzler also starring Gosling) and Only God Forgives is no exception. However, Only God Forgives fails where Drive succeeded.


The story is simple. Gosling plays Julien, the manager of a Bangkok fight club that is a front for dealing drugs. Julien's older brother rapes and kills a young prostitute and is consequently beaten to death by the girl's father under the orders of a ruthless cop named Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm). Julien's mother, Crystal (Kristin Scott Thomas), then flies in town to pick up her dead son's body and exact revenge on those responsible with the help of her still living son, Julien. What ensues is a bloody sequence of events resulting in both sides taking limbs and lives.

There are various things to admire in the film. Refn's use of color is vibrant and definitely sets the mood for this bloody tale. There are many neon signs shining red upon the film's characters which is fitting since all of them have blood on their hands. The score by Cliff Martinez is unique and equally effective for the mood Refn establishes. Refn also takes his time. Scenes are often dragged out with characters left pondering or staring at some unknown danger off screen. I admire directors who aren't in a big hurry to get to the next scene. However, this technique by Refn, is also one of the film's flaws. Some scenes linger too long and sometimes with no effect left on the viewer or even the characters. Gosling gives a reserved and silent performance, much like he did in Drive, but instead of displaying a burning rage and sensitivity like his Drive character, here he just seems detached from reality. This detachment works at times, but ultimately belittles the film.

Kristin Scott Thomas gives the standout performance here as the evil and beautiful mother of two drug dealers. She radiates hate and disappointment. Vithaya Pansringarm is absolutely cold, remorseless, and brutal as he slices away everything that Crystal and Julien throw at him. It's difficult to label his character, Chang, as the villain since none of these characters are good, but he is one of the most cold antagonists we've seen in some time.

Refn makes this film more than it is, but he falls far short of something great or even memorable. The film drags when it should be building tension. Though the ending is unconventional, I found it as predictable as it would have been had it been more conventional. Oh, this movie should come with its own "Hey Girl" meme from Ryan Gosling, which would read: "Hey Girl, do yourself a favor and pass on watching me in this one. I do not play Noah Calhoun."

 

RATING: C