Review of Good Time (2017) by Mad M — 03 Dec 2017

I was pleasantly surprised to see Good Time shown at my theater. Independent films never get enough support, so it's nice to see something other than the dreck we usually get from Hollywood.

Good Time's title actually refers to time off a prison sentence for good behavior, and from the start the movie invites you to judge the characters' behavior, chiefly its protagonist, played by Robert Pattinson (Twilight), who is now a serious actor. Pattinson is Connie Nikas, a petty crook from Queens, and his handicapped brother, Nick, is played by director Ben Safdie. Unfortunately, we don't get to see enough of Nick, because Connie gets most of the attention. This may be intentional, because the focus on Connie rather than Nick makes you wonder if Connie doesn't actually care about his brother and is only in it for himself. however, there's also plenty of meta evidence suggesting the opposite and that he is trying to take care of Nick. This ambiguity extends to the supporting cast, too. Is Jennifer Jason Leigh (Fast Times at Ridgemont High) trying to help Nick, or is she trying to get on Connie's good side? Is the social worker trying to cut toxic people out of Nick's life, or is he eliminating rivals? Even Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips), whose character is objectively the good guy in his scene, threatens and shouts so much you end up viewing him as a villain.

The Safdie brothers are clearly students of film, and their style reminds me of gritty crime dramas from the late 70s and early 80s. Playing the movie while opening and closing credits roll, the film grain, color filters, and light reflections all serve to put you in a trance while the synthesized soundtrack blooms and echoes. This trance is so strong it leaves you in awe of Connie's hair-brained schemes. You almost forget to be dismayed by the people he ends up hurting, but when the dust settles, you ask yourself if anyone ever cared about Nick. The movie doesn't have a correct answer, and that's what makes Good Time such a good time.