Review of Only God Forgives (2013) by Rory O — 11 Sep 2013

Ryan Gosling and Nicholas Winding Refn follow the same etiquette of their highly successful neo-noir film, Drive, but this time, they return with a very dysfunctional version of it.

Only God Forgives feels like a whimsical experiment from director Nicholas Winding Refn to detail his observations on still life. The camera sets itself comfortably in framing the characters that sport an overall frozen and dismayed look. It isn't a potboiler; the design is vibrant with perfectly fitting performances. What's missing (if there was any) is a channel that could escort us to the portal of Winding Refn's intention.

Julian, played by Ryan Gosling, runs a Muay Thai boxing club, which is actually a cover for his illicit drug business in Bangkok. He talks only when it's absolutely necessary and it's challenging to recognize his crisis or even feel sorry for him. There's always a bizarre remorse fixed to his quite composure - a role that's unmistakably parallel to Ryan Gosling's character in Drive.

When Julian's sadistic brother, Billy (Tom Burke), assaults and murders an underage prostitute in a hotel room, an angel-like Police Lieutenant, Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm), enters the crime scene. He causes an act of justice by unleashing the dead girl's father, who beats Billy to death. This builds up the main foundation for this revenge saga and introduces us to the other main character of the story, Julian and Billy's mother (Kristin Scott Thomas).

Thomas's character is that of a foul-mouthed criminal kingpin who can go to any limits in getting even with her beloved elder son's murderers. At the same time, she has an alarming dislike towards Julian. In a chic dinner scene, she helps herself in humiliating Julian by comparing his penis size with Billy's. Also, a subtle erotic vibe is passed between Julian and his mother about a possible oedipal relationship.

The problem with Refn is his lack of attention towards character depth. He runs his fingers carelessly around all of them but never settles with anyone. For instance, Chang, who is the main antagonist of the movie, puts on the duty of god. Refn in his statement reveals that the initial germ for the movie came to him "...from the idea of having a character who wants to fight god." So, he puts a shady criminal in front of a demigod but is he presenting a modern fable or is he least bothered about the consequences? This remains unanswered.

Refn has done tremendous hard work in crafting a bleak look in a neon-lit environment. His obvious romance with violence is optimized in the movie's terrifyingly gritty scenes. However, the stillness and the silence waft away our attention from the characters. The movie really leaves very little to reflect and finishes off as a fever dream.