Only god forgives joins a handful of other films those by terrence malick, shane carruth, and david lowery come to mind that somehow, largely through their editing and sound design, speak to the. Jul 17, 20 only god forgives bears a dedication to alejandro jodorowsky, and its exploration of the liminal space between dream and reality in the context of violent action is reminiscent of that directors work. Earning accolades at the cannes film festival and a solid box office presence, the feature was led by star ryan gosling, who himself would be having a renaissance transcending his paperbound notebook days. Julian, a drugsmuggler thriving in bangkoks criminal underworld, sees his life get even more complicated when his mother compels him to find and kill whoever is responsible for his brothers recent death. The quality of this film is not about the plot twists, the character developments or the witty dialogue.
The film has polarised both critics and audiences, with people accuses it of style over substance, calling it shallow and having a lack of focus. If you listen to the critics, the story of only god forgives is either too simple or incomprehensible. In 2011, his film drive was his seventh feature film, and a breakout hit. Itt, someone is calling anyone who defends the film a refn apologist, which is a pretty meaningless term, but ill come right out and say im a huge refn fan, and this fits right in with his impressive career.
In only god forgives, a mother is bent on revenge the. It is a movie full of visual symbolism for youtube film geeks to profit off of with vapid analysis videos, but underneath all the style there is nothing to be found. The foreboding title of nicolas winding refns latest film does not even begin to suggest the pulpy, unapologetically sanguine depravity contained within its 90 minutes. Jul 19, 20 only god forgives danish director nicolas winding refn s new film only god forgives comes across as that annoying friend we all had at college, who kept droning on about the beauty, grace, and honor of martial arts, all the while tending to his bloodied knuckles.
Only god forgives trailer shows rising trend in art house action movies. Like the work of david cronenberg or david lynch, refn is able to create a world. In a recent interview with our own simon abrams, refn said, emotionally, our artistic expression consists of sex or violence. There are a lot of things to talk about with only god forgives. Only god forgives is a 20 crime film directed by nicolas winding refn, starring ryan gosling and kristin scott thomas. Only god forgives at the sydney film festival honi soit. Only god forgives is a visually sumptuous feast, deliberate and controlled in its design, calculated to incite disturbing emotion and punctuated with a scene stealing performance by kristin scott.
Nicolas winding refn born 29 september 1970 is a danish director, screenwriter and producer known for his stylized approach to filmmaking in both conceptual tackling existential, moral and spiritual matters, often through crime and visual incorporating extreme violence and highcontrast colors, often from neon lighting senses. Only god forgives 20 plot summary 3 julian, a drugsmuggler thriving in bangkoks criminal underworld, sees his life get even more complicated when his mother compels him to find and kill whoever is responsible for his brothers recent death. A total empathy for nwr, we thought it vital to appreciate the film. If it werent obvious, nicolas winding refns only god forgives falls into that last category. Understanding only god forgives 20 movie analysis youtube. A ten minute entertaining and funny analysis of nicholas winding refns violent an unfunny movie only god forgives. And its harder to find a more succinct point of entry than that. A brilliant example of how refn is able to take character stereotypes of linear genre films and invert them. Jul 26, 20 only god forgives is only going to be remotely pleasurable to those who are curious fans of the directors work, or those who indulge in arthouse films. In only god forgives, his influences run a little deeper. The film is about a thai boxing ring manager called julian, who is a criminal drug launderer that seeks out the killer of his criminal brother, who was killed by a thai police lieutenant by the name of chang. Only god forgives, the second collaboration between ryan gosling and the director of drive, won first prize at the sydney film festival, but it is divisive. Youngest in his crime family, julian ryan gosling finds his.
While its not a direct narrative sequel to gosling and refns previous collaboration, drive, this hasnt stopped many from seeing it as a spiritual successor of sorts a theory that hasnt been wholly jossed by refn himself. Jul 21, 20 there are a lot of things to talk about with only god forgives. Parents need to know that only god forgives is an extremely violent drama from danish filmmaker nicolas winding refn. A follow up to nicholas winding refns previous film drive, only god forgives is a aesthetically masterful and vivid film that has julian, a notorious drug dealer in the thai underworld played by ryan gosling, searching vengeance for his a follow up to nicholas winding refns previous film drive, only god forgives is a aesthetically masterful and vivid film that has julian, a. Jul 20, 20 first things first, what gave birth to the movie.
As his new film only god forgives hits cinemas on friday 2 august, director nicolas winding refn has curated a special season of his favourite films for curzon home cinema. The film was given a limited release stateside and now arrives on dvdblu ray for home viewing. Much like its somnambulant protagonist, only god forgives moves at a crawl, and its increasingly vicious and brutally graphic instances of violence seem to explode from the ether. The top comment of the redband youtube trailer for only god forgives simply proclaims oedipus in bangkok. The only thing that matters is cinematography and atmosphere. Only god forgives is a prime example of how split reactions to refns work can be. Refn ups the ante of only god forgives with the introduction of one of his most diabolical characters to datejulians mother, crystal kristen scott thomas. Nicolas winding refns only god forgives 2014 draws influence from a variety of complex sources. Only god forgives is a big fuck you to refns new fans gained from the success of his surprise hit, drive. Only god forgives inspires that same sense of fear with its presentation of a story and characters who are uncanny. Nov 19, 2018 only god forgives may seem disorganized, hollow and vain, but it is, on the contrary, it seemed a logical proof, provided that it is considered how the sensory and especially, recontextualized within the films of the author. Like 2011s drive, refns latest movie stars ryan gosling as a tortured man and features scenes of unflinching violence.
If you enjoy this analysis, click on the link below to. Earning accolades at the cannes film festival and a solid box office presence, the feature was led by star ryan gosling, who himself would be having a renaissance transcending his paperbound notebook. It should have no trouble finding love among drive lovers, as its. In using sophocles oedipus rex and sigmund freuds theory of oedipal complex as a defining text for the film, nicolas winding refn explores motherson relationships as his protagonist battles with his masculinity. However, refn certainly has some cinematic trademarks that are very apparent in each one of his films, including extreme angles, tracking. Jul 19, 20 only god forgives inspires that same sense of fear with its presentation of a story and characters who are uncanny. Jul 18, 20 in some ways, only god forgives qualifies as a followup to refns 2011 film, drive, which starred gosling in a similarly terse, somber performance. I wont lie, the first time i saw nicolas winding refns only god forgives, it really pissed me off. Director refn remains as visually stylish as ever, but only god forgives fails to add enough narrative smarts or relatable characters to ground its beautifully filmed depravity.
Only god forgives is only going to be remotely pleasurable to those who are curious fans of the directors work, or those who indulge in arthouse films. If you listen to the critics, the story of only god forgives is either too simple or. I loved only god forgives so much id put it in my top 3 of 20. We believe every one of us deserves equal access to factbased news and analysis. Only god forgives is a very complex and challenging film, and its critical response is a clear sign of that. Financial analysis of only god forgives 20 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. Only god forgives 20 an architectural analysis of the film, only god forgives 20, directed by nicolas winding refn and starring ryan gosling and kristin scott thomas. Jul 19, 20 unable to give his automaton any suggestion of an inner life, mr. But it does name a quality viewers will need if they are to sit through the film. It received a polarized response from mainstream critics. In only god forgives, he uses classic film noir techniques like chiaroscuro lighting, tight framing, and limited camera movement and a saturated yet closely controlled color palette along with. Gosling moves through only god forgives as if in a slowmotion trance. Danish director nicolas winding refns new film only god forgives comes across as that annoying friend we all had at college, who kept. He is known for directing the crime dramas bleeder 1999 and the pusher films 19962005, the fictionalised biographical film bronson 2008, the dramatic adventure film valhalla rising 2009, the neonoir crime film drive 2011, the thriller only god.
This image is woven into the film in improbable ways, ways that are difficult to recall without access to the film itself for repeat viewing. Only god forgives confusing ending explained screen rant. The film is about a thai boxing ring manager called julian, who is a criminal drug launderer that seeks out the killer of his criminal brother, who was killed by a thai police. Only god forgives by nicolas winding refn is confusing. Only god forgives may seem disorganized, hollow and vain, but it is, on the contrary, it seemed a logical proof, provided that it is considered how the sensory and especially, recontextualized within the films of the author. But i try and understand what the movie is trying to say in. Hence god is the only one capable of true forgiveness, but that probably comes in the afterlife or after. Ryan gosling plays a man on the run who moves to thailand. Only god forgives letterboxd social film discovery. Only god forgives trailer shows rising trend in art. It competed for the palme dor at the 20 cannes film festival.
Winding refn twists the film back in on itself like a chinese fingertrap, denying deep analysis just as much as it encourages it. Only god forgives, a blooddrenched action movie, includes one character who plays god and sings karaoke. Misremembering only god forgives filmmaker magazine. Only god forgives weird yet coherent oriental psychedelic. In only god forgives, a mother is bent on revenge the new york. It was his followup to drive and once again starred ryan gosling, who plays julian, an american expat criminal based in thailand, who is forced by his mother crystal kristen scott thomas, darkest hour to seek revenge for his brothers death. As the assassination attempts on changs life, orchestrated by julians mother, continue to fail, the thugs wrath grows exponentially. The brutality can be startling and includes several moments of vengeance and torture. Oct 21, 20 and yet, regardless of how obscured or inarticulate drives ideas about the intertwined nature of violence and masculinity were, they were still presentsomething that cant be said of refns followup, only god forgives. Nicolas winding refn born 29 september 1970 is a danish film director, screenwriter and producer. Unable to give his automaton any suggestion of an inner life, mr. In only god forgives, a mother is bent on revenge the new. This makes only god forgives his film in the limelight. Danish director nicolas winding refns new film only god forgives comes across as that annoying friend we all had at college, who kept droning on about the beauty, grace, and honor of martial arts, all the while tending to his bloodied knuckles.
Only god forgives is a 20 crime film written and directed by nicolas winding refn and. Only god forgives danish director nicolas winding refn s new film only god forgives comes across as that annoying friend we all had at college, who kept droning on about the beauty, grace, and honor of martial arts, all the while tending to his bloodied knuckles. Clearly, only god forgives belongs to the latter group. While its not a direct narrative sequel to gosling and refns previous collaboration, drive, this hasnt stopped many from. In a basic film noir or gangster movie, crystal would be the typical male drug lord or mob bossalbeit, as the. It wasnt just the frequent use of racial slurs, and protracted, highly gory torture scenes that bothered me. Only god forgives created a few waves over the summer when the film made the film festival rounds and polarized critics at cannes, many walking out. Nicolas winding refn in a karaoke bar on castration, revenge and postdrive rage video. Now, refn doesnt get all of the credit for the visuals in his films. Theres a statement somewhere inside only god forgives, and one gets the feeling the joke if there is one, is entirely upon the audience. Nicolas winding refns brilliant, macabre and ultraviolent antirevenge movie only god forgives his most interesting work since the pusher trilogy in the mads mikkelsen era was deafeningly. With ryan gosling, kristin scott thomas, vithaya pansringarm, gordon brown. In some ways, only god forgives qualifies as a followup to refns 2011 film, drive, which starred gosling in a similarly terse, somber.
The film was shot on location in bangkok, thailand, and, as with drive, is dedicated to chilean director alejandro jodorowsky. This video abides by fair use only god forgives 20 directed by nicolas winding refn how do i describe nicolas winding refns. Nicolas winding refn is back in theaters and on vod this friday with only god forgives, his second film to star his drive muse and good. Critical only god forgives blog about film studies. Its gangsterland setting, inventively disorienting mise en scene, and synthesizer soundtrack pay homage to johnnie to, wong kar wai, dante. I think theres more to be had in the title than lets on. Ryan gosling on not understanding all of only god forgives and. Narratively stripped, with dialogue as harsh as it is minimal, these elements are purposefully employed, and the aesthetics amped up, to stimulate a visceral. Chris stuckmann goes indepth on only god forgives, the new film from. Jun 24, 20 only god forgives is the second collaboration between ryan gosling and nicolas winding refn, after 2011s drive. Only god forgives 20 nicolas winding refn synopsis.
Only god forgives transports us into the lavishly gruesome thailand underworld, for a tale of death, dishonor, duty and justice. Only god forgives is nicolas winding refn at the peak of his powers, ruthless in abandonment of a number of traditional cinematic conventions to deliver an evocatively pure mood piece. I could talk about how it was booed at cannes and seems to have a terrible reputation, completely in opposition to how drive went over, theres the also the appalling violence to talk about, and the crazy levels of pretension, but really what strikes me about this film is how empty it ends up being. In his previous film, drive 2011, his unnamed hero was elevated into a superhero over the course of the film, while the film itself made use of the scorpion and the frog fable. Only god forgives is a 20 crime film written and directed by nicolas winding refn and starring ryan gosling, kristin scott thomas, and vithaya pansringarm. But i try and understand what the movie is trying to say in this article version of my video analysis. See more ideas about god forgives, forgiven movie, movie posters. An analysis of the cinematography of only god forgives, by nicolas winding refn only god forgives is the last film by the danish director nicolas winding refn drive, bronson, valahalla rising which was selected in last year cannes film festival official competition.
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