This one should be amusing. Refn and Gosling’s follow-up to Drive got destroyed at Cannes. Only two positive reviews out of 20 or so on Rotten Tomatoes, and even they describe the film as “a beautiful disaster” and “a bizarre, infernal creation”
Can’t wait. Love every single one of Refns movies so far. Refn Refn Refn.
I’ve only seen Bronson, Valhalla Rising and Drive, but they’re more than enough to give Refn a get out of jail free card and me in the seat for this one, even if it’s a trainwreck. They’ve all had indulgent elements that flirted with disaster, but were perhaps even more memorable because of the inclusion of those aspects. The last half of Valhalla Rising was disappointing compared to what came earlier, however.
Seconded! I love Refn.
I’ll join youse guy’s Refn Fan club!
It doesn’t surprise me that his next film has had such a poor critical reception though. After Drive maybe people are expecting different things from him. Not all his films are as easy to swallow, I mean have you seen Bleeder? That film might merit the same criticism of “train wreck”.
There is a scene in Bleeder that I remember blowing me away though, a tense argument that suddenly escalates in front of a nightclub.
How can I see Bleeder?
Sorry, I can’t answer that for you. My local video rental store has a copy, but I’m afraid that’s no help.
I’m a Refn fan as well, but I can’t help but be discouraged by the almost unanimous hatred this film seems to be getting from critics.
One critic I heard on NPR this morning I immediately discredited in my mind though due to his firm insistence that no one likes Refn’s films and if they say they do, they’re lying. I found that to be a very odd thing for a film critic to say. Makes me doubt any of his reviews are actually based on anything other than personal bias.
Yahoo Movies trailer for the Google-adverse
http://movies.yahoo.com/video/only-god-forgives-redband-trailer-212241045.html
Trolling or imbecilic.
Refn might be challenging at times but how could anyone hate Drive?
I loved the opening, liked the first act, and hated the last act.
I thought it devolved from what it could have been as it went along. (But then I also never went back to give it a second chance.)
The trailer looks great. I’m anxious to see it now so I can see where I come down on the debate.
I wasn’t a fan of this. It felt like an empty exercise in style, a b-movie crime thriller stripped down until there’s a bare outline of a plot and no characters left. Well, no characters except for Kristin Scott Thomas, who’s really entertainingly loathsome.
It’s real pretty, and Refn can make a shot interesting for longer than the contents merit, but eventually there needs to be something there.
Sounds like the love story in Drive.
No, it’s nothing as deep and textured as that.
I finally watched this on Netflix over the weekend. I really liked it. Of course Gosling does the Gosling and remains a cipher for much of the movie (barring his one outburst at the girl from the club) but Kristin Scott-Thomas and Vithaya Pansringarm are great.
^The singing police officer has to go down as my favourite character of the year. Never has karaoke seemed so badass.
I grooved on the pacing of Refn’s Valhalla Rising and the nihilistic tone, peppered with bursts of extreme violence. Is OGF similar?
I’m in love with the look of this movie. Doing Noir with bright neon? Love it love it love it. Best looking film of the year. And great subversion of expectations with that big fight scene ; )