Review of My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (2015) by Brandon W — 21 Aug 2015

Interesting if unspectacular behind the scenes documentary by Liv Corfixen, the wife of director Nicolas Winding Refn, as he films "Only God Forgives." Refn has many concerns that come up repeatedly throughout the film; that this story isn't as commercial as his last film, "Drive," that expectation that he an Ryan Gosling are a new "it" filmmaking team, that he might be repeating himself with this film, and whether or not he thinks the film is simply any good.

The film depicts Refn as a thoughtful and highly creativeman who takes his craft very seriously, but I'm not sure it provided me with any major insights. Still, he and his family are quite likable.

Gosling shows up quite a bit at the family's apartment and is not a stuck up movie star. Refn's pal, cut filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky, even shows up at the start the filming and at the end. In the end, Refn is pleased with his work and knows that he's done something effective when half of critics loved it and half hated it.

The film is also greatly aided by an excellent Cliff Martinez score, who scored both "Only God Forgives" and "Drive." And I"m not sure if this would be everyone's experience with the film, but I found myself identifying with Refn in many ways; balancing work and family, leading a group of people and trying to keep a face of confidence and positivity in the face of many outside challenges you can't control.

So on that level, the film very much connected with me and if that was the intention of the filmmakers, which I'm not sure it was, the film worked very well.