Only God Forgives

I've got pretty mixed feelings on this film.  I did enjoy it, but mostly on artistic merit.  I thought Ryan Gosling was good, not great.  I thought the films cast of characters were far too ugly and detestable, which limited my ability to really want to look past the harsh exteriors.  Contrary to many critics, I found there was very coherent plot, albeit a more philosophical/metaphorical one than most Hollywood fare.  Nicholas Winding Refn's plot synopsis that Goslings character basically wanted to meet and fight God is an apt description of what's going on here.  Gosling is messed up.  His brother is even more messed up.  And their mother...a piece of work in the most demonstrative, disgusting sense.  Even the 'hero' of the film, the Thai top cop who's own moral code is just as warped and brutal as the characters he's facing off against, is ugly.  So how does one end up liking and ultimately enjoying a film full of so much ugliness?  Beautiful cinematography, bizarre and original camera shots...and a few moments of pure brilliance.  

I cannot recommend this film because, as I said, I'm conflicted and still not even sure I really did 'like' it.  But it certainly got a few synapses firing and left me with that haunted, hollow, numb feeling interesting and devastating works of art typically do.  If you're a fan of the different, the bizarre, or the borderline masturbatory, then Only God Forgives is worth a look.  Even someone as open minded and adventurous as me found it took a good 60 minutes before I was fully engaged...even though the pretty pictures and silence certainly held my attention in the meantime.