The best film of the year stars Gosling as he plays Julian, an American running a Thai boxing club/drug front in Bangkok who, in some sense, is facing the forces of divinity made manifest by the dynamics of his family and the Thai police. Rife with beautiful cinematography in a neon lit yet coldly engaging world and a zoning electronic score, Only God Forgives shows director, Refn's European sensibilities returning since his last film, Drive. This bloody violent film is stocked with symbolism and at times perplexing philosophical/psychological currents. Do not expect to follow Only God Forgives emotionally – it's expecting you to put the work in intellectually. Which is a reflection of the Spanish surrealist the film is dedicated to
"If you are great, 'El Topo' is a great picture. If you are limited, 'El Topo' is limited"
– Alejandro Jodorowsky on his film El Topo.
Does that make it self-indulgent? Arrogant? Pretentious? I, for one, couldn't care less. It's art.
"If you are great, 'El Topo' is a great picture. If you are limited, 'El Topo' is limited"
– Alejandro Jodorowsky on his film El Topo.
Does that make it self-indulgent? Arrogant? Pretentious? I, for one, couldn't care less. It's art.