Only God Forgives is a 2013 action film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, featuring Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Vithaya Pansringarm. The film is set in Bangkok, Thailand, and follows Julian, a drug smuggler who becomes embroiled in a violent quest for vengeance after his brother is killed. The narrative is heavily influenced by themes of brutality, family dynamics, and the underworld of crime
The film is characterized by its extreme violence and stylized cinematography, often described as “neon-noir.” Critics have noted that while the visuals are striking, the film suffers from a lack of coherent plot and character development. Refn himself has referred to the film as a Western set in Bangkok, emphasizing its themes of honor and violence The film’s slow pacing and self-indulgent scenes have led to mixed reviews, with some viewers finding it tedious.
Review by Ben Dover:
Only God Forgives (2013) – 2.5 Neon-Soaked Hallucinations
Well, slap me silly and call me a pretentious film student! Just when I thought I’d seen every artsy-fartsy, incomprehensible piece of cinematic navel-gazing, along comes Nicolas Winding Refn’s “Only God Forgives” to prove that sometimes, only the director forgives himself for making such an indulgent mess.
Ryan Gosling stars as Julian, a man who apparently took a vow of silence and forgot to tell the rest of the cast. He spends most of the movie staring blankly into the middle distance, looking like he’s trying to remember if he left the stove on. I’ve seen mannequins with more emotional range. Seriously, it’s a lot like he tried to be the first person to ever star in a movie without actually giving a performance. His character, Julian, has a reputed 17 lines of dialog in the movie.
The plot? Ha! You might as well ask for the nutritional value of a fever dream. Something about revenge, mommy issues, and Thai boxing. It’s like someone threw “Drive,” “Oedipus Rex,” and a Bangkok tourist brochure into a blender and hit puree.
Kristin Scott Thomas plays Julian’s mother, a woman so vile she makes Cersei Lannister look like Mother Teresa. She struts around spewing venom and making Freud spin in his grave fast enough to power a small city.
Then there’s the Thai policeman, Chang, who’s part Dirty Harry, part karaoke enthusiast, and all kinds of weird. He dispenses justice with a sword sharper than my ex-wife’s tongue, then croons love songs like he’s auditioning for Thailand’s Got Talent.
The violence is more stylized than a Vogue photoshoot in an abattoir. Hands are lopped off, eyes are gouged, and there’s enough arterial spray to paint the Sistine Chapel. All of it happening in slow motion, because apparently, Refn thinks we need time to contemplate the artistic merit of a machete to the face.
The dialogue is sparse enough to make Hemingway look longwinded. Characters communicate mostly through meaningful stares and sudden outbursts of brutality. It’s like watching the world’s most violent game of charades.
Is “Only God Forgives” a good movie? That’s like asking if a Rorschach test is a good painting. It’s a film that’s prettier than a sunset over the Pacific but emptier than my wallet after alimony payments. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a beautiful person who opens their mouth and says something incredibly stupid.
So, if you like your movies with more style than substance, enjoy staring at Ryan Gosling’s chiseled features for 90 minutes, and don’t mind feeling like you need a philosophy degree and to call your mother afterwards, give “Only God Forgives” a watch. Just don’t expect to understand a damn thing.
Frankly, I hated this movie. But I do respect the attempt to bring something unique, challenging, and properly mystifying to the audience though I feel you need an actual degree in Jungian/Freudian philosophy to truly understand it.
Notes:
Rating: R for strong bloody violence including grisly images, sexual content and language
Runtime: 1 hours 30 minutes (It only feels like 3 hours.)
Gross worldwide: $10,658,332
Budget: $ 4,800,000 (estimated)
Whoever recommended this movie must hate their mother.
Lots of weird karaoke in this movie.
Could watch this movie ten times and still not quite understand it.
This movie makes me miss Terrifier.
Julian (Ryan Gosling) only speaks seventeen lines throughout this movie.
Cinematographer Larry Smith has said that nearly the entire movie was shot with practical lighting, and that only one or two scenes were lit with traditional movie lights…ya no kidding. Dark
It was Ryan Gosling’s idea to open the stomach of Julian’s dead mother. He had it after writer and director Nicolas Winding Refn asked him if he’d rather smile or cry after Julian’s mom’s death. He replied that he’d open her uterus to see what’s inside… damn that dude must hate his mom.
Quotes:
These are all from Crystal because… of course they are.
Julien: It’s a little more complicated than that, mother.
Crystal: Meaning what, exactly?
Julien: Billy raped and killed a sixteen year old girl.
Crystal: I’m sure he had his reasons.
Crystal: So, tell me, Mai. What line of work are you in?
Mai: I’m an entertainer.
Crystal: An entertainer? And how many cocks can you entertain with that cute little cum-dumpster of yours?
Crystal: And what with Billy being the older brother and having a bigger cock… Julian’s was never small, but Billy’s was… oh, it was enormous!
Critics Consensus:
Critics 41% Audience 37% Rotten Tomatoes
Upon its release, “Only God Forgives” received a polarizing response. It premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where it was met with significant criticism, contrasting sharply with the acclaim received by Refn’s previous film, “Drive.” Many reviewers pointed out that while “Drive” had a compelling narrative and character engagement, “Only God Forgives” felt more like an exercise in style over substance
Trailer:
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