Jump to content

Only God Forgives

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 109.77.106.179 (talk) at 01:31, 25 May 2013 (negative or mixed? be decisive be WP:BOLD and pick one.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Only God Forgives
Teaser poster
Directed byNicolas Winding Refn
Written byNicolas Winding Refn
Produced byLene Børglum
Starring
CinematographyLarry Smith
Edited byMatthew Newman
Music byCliff Martinez
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 22 May 2013 (2013-05-22) (Cannes)
  • 30 May 2013 (2013-05-30) (Denmark)
Countries
  • France
  • Denmark
  • Thailand
LanguagesEnglish
Thai
Budget$4.8 million[3]

Only God Forgives is a 2013 crime thriller film written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas and Vithaya Pansringarm. The film was shot on location in Bangkok, Thailand.[4] It has been selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival[5] and is due for general release on 19 July 2013.[6]

Plot

Julian (played by Ryan Gosling), is an American hiding in Thailand running a Thai boxing club and smuggling drugs simultaneously. His brother Billy (Tom Burke) murders an underage prostitute, setting off a chain of revenge killings leading straight back to him. After Billy is killed, Julian is relayed the news, and then finds himself caught in the middle of extreme violence and bloodshed whilst trying to find the man responsible. The situation only get worse after his mother Crystal (Kristin Scott-Thomas) gets herself involved and turns up to collect her dead son's body. Julian must confront, a psychotic cop named Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm) to satisfy his mothers need for revenge.[7]

Cast

  • Ryan Gosling as Julian:[3]
    • An American who lives in Bangkok and "is a respected figure in the criminal underworld" according to a production synopsis.[8] Gosling was in negotiations to star in the film in June 2011 after Luke Evans dropped out due to scheduling conflicts with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.[9] Gosling had undertaken Muay Thai training in preparation for the role by that September,[10] which included 2–3 hour daily sessions.[11] Refn also participated in the training.[11] Gosling and Refn had recently worked together on the neo-noir crime drama Drive (2011).
  • Kristin Scott Thomas as Crystal:[3]
    • Julian's mother, who is described as "a merciless and terrifying mafia godmother" combining elements of Lady Macbeth and Donatella Versace.[8][12] Scott Thomas was cast by May 2011.[13]
  • Vithaya Pansringarm as Chang, the Angel of Vengeance[14]
  • Tom Burke[2] as Billy
  • Ratha Phongam (Yaya-Ying)[14] as Mai
  • Gordon Brown as Gordon

Production

Refn has said that "[f]rom the beginning, [he] had the idea of a thriller produced as a western, all in the Far East, and with a modern cowboy hero."[3] He originally planned to direct Only God Forgives directly after Valhalla Rising (2009), but he accepted Gosling's request to direct Drive instead.[15] Gosling has described the script of Only God Forgives as "the strangest thing I've ever read and it's only going to get stranger."[10] Like Drive, Only God Forgives was largely shot chronologically and scenes were often edited the day they were shot.[3]

Footage from a scene of the film was screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.[16] Refn drew a connection between Only God Forgives and Drive, saying that "[Only God Forgives] is very much a continuation of that language"—"[i]t's based on real emotions, but set in a heightened reality. It's a fairy tale."[15]

On April 3, 2013, the studio released a "red band" trailer.[17]

Reception

Reactions to the film have been mixed, it was booed by audiences at Cannes.[18][12] Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 18% based on reviews from 11 critics.[19]

Peter Bradshaw of the Guardian gave it 5 out of 5 stars, calling it gripping and praising the "pure formal brilliance" of every scene and frame, though he notes that it will "have people running for the exits, and running for the hills" with its extreme violence.[20] [7]

References

  1. ^ Dimako, Peter (June 30, 2011). "FilmDistrict acquires Nicolas Winding Refn's ONLY GOD FORGIVES starring Ryan Gosling". Upcoming-Movies.com. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Labrecque, Jeff (March 1, 2012). "Ryan Gosling's Thailand gangster film goes to Radius-TWC". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e Jagernauth, Kevin (March 30, 2012). "Nicolas Winding Refn Talks Making 'Only God Forgives' & Considers Tokyo Setting For Horror 'I Walk With The Dead'". The Playlist. IndieWire. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
  4. ^ "Hard Drive". Bangkok Post. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
  5. ^ "2013 Official Selection". Cannes. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  6. ^ Bustos, Kristina (May 2, 2013). "Ryan Gosling's 'Only God Forgives': Behind-the-scenes video released". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Cannes Film Festival 2013 review: Only God Forgives review - Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn reunite for this underwhelming revenge thriller". The Independent. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  8. ^ a b Goldberg, Matt (November 2, 2011). "First Synopsis for Nicolas Winding Refn's ONLY GOD FORGIVES Starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Ryan Gosling". Collider.com. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  9. ^ Fischer, Russ (June 23, 2011). "Ryan Gosling Joining Nicolas Winding Refn's 'Only God Forgives' [Updated]". /Film. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
  10. ^ a b Otto, Jeff (September 26, 2011). "Ryan Gosling Calls Upcoming Project 'Only God Forgives' The "Strangest Thing" He's Ever Read". The Playlist. IndieWire. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
  11. ^ a b Mackey, Michael (January 27, 2012). "Ryan Gosling Responds to Oscar Snub; Reveals Details of Project Filming in Bangkok". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
  12. ^ a b http://www.thelocal.fr/20130522/cannes-jeers-goslings-only-god-forgives#.UZzjdkpz5ft
  13. ^ Fischer, Russ (May 2, 2011). "Nicolas Winding Refn Casts Luke Evans and Kristin Scott-Thomas in Thai Western 'Only God Forgives'". /Film. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
  14. ^ a b Dang, Simon (May 11, 2011). "Nicolas Winding Refn's 'Only God Forgives' Adds Vithaya Pansringarm And Pop-Star Yaya Ying". The Playlist. IndieWire. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
  15. ^ a b Sullivan, Kevin P. (June 15, 2012). "'Only God Forgives' Will Share The 'Language' Of 'Drive'". MTV Movies Blog. MTV.com. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
  16. ^ Sullivan, Kevin P. (May 25, 2012). "Ryan Gosling's 'Only God Forgives' Debuts Footage At Cannes". MTV Movies Blog. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  17. ^ Girard, Keith (Apr. 4, 2013). "Ryan Gosling Takes Sadistic Turn in New 'Only God Forgives' Trailer". /Film. Retrieved Apr. 4, 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  18. ^ "Ryan Gosling film Only God Forgives divides Cannes critics". BBC News. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
  19. ^ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/only_god_forgives_2013/ Flixster
  20. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/may/22/cannes-only-good-forgives-ryan-gosling-review
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Only_God_Forgives&oldid=556669044"