Only God Forgives (2013)

This is a hard one. I really liked this movie in parts, and really didn't like it in other parts. Let's be clear, the cinematography is absolutely incredible. Those vivid, neon lights that scream depravity, along with on the whole, awe-inspiring camera work. This is one of the best looking films I've seen in many years. But all that glitters isn't gold. Unfortunately, what we have is a perplexing story. We have characters with little to no motivation in their actions. The mother and son gangsters played Gosling and Scott Thomas want to avenge the death of their slain loved-one, but if only we could genuinely believe that. Gosling, once again, shines brightly as an emotionless, cold-hearted psycho.. and that's only credited to how amazing an actor he is. But this character doesn't work on the premise of being vengeful. He's a puppet of his mother, we get that.. and perhaps reluctant about his mission, but still, I don't fully get his motivations. Scott Thomas as the mother is pretty much repugnant in all the wrong ways. She's a potty-mouthed little pig. Again, it makes you wonder about the full motivation. The murderer of the brother, Chang, is probably the most fully realized character of the film. He's a silent, blood-thirsty, unrelenting killer mob-boss, like a Thai version of Paul Cicero, with a black belt. Some of his scenes are magnificent. But then, they have him singing in a Thai karaoke bar. A heavy handed reassurance to the audience that he is.. human. The film loses me again. Why did this keep happening? I like this film, and there is much room for forgiveness in the end, but the effort doesn't all pay off. This is a film incomplete. A rough cut. With a clearer story, an utter masterpiece could've emerged from this.