Long and Winding Refn

Rating: 2/10 (20 March 2012)

I was eager to see this (based on some good reviews – therein lies..) and the film begins with a driving sequence in which the character, drives a couple of evil doers to safe harbour. Unlike the Mechanic, where Statham roars off at Concord speed and never brakes, driver is skilled to the point of knowing when to stop, keep to the speed limit, creep, conceal and yes, at times, do the Concord thing.
The opening was pretty much the best thing in the film. There is very little driving thereafter that ever reaches this remarkable first outing, where skill really does knock the blockbusters into their jolly genre.
Christina Hendricks is great in what is really a cameo role and shows that it is wrong to niche her to Mad Men.
Carey Mulligan has a semi-smile on her face much of the time. I wondered if that had more to do with the fact that she was thinking – and I am getting paid for this crap – than attempting to impart enigmatic qualities to her character.
In his interview (extras on the DVD) Nicolas Winding Refn showed his strength at putting down audience members who posed questions. It is a dubious talent. The interviewer laughed nervously throughout but sadly, I think this was due to his actual belief that he was in the presence of greatness. No buddy, you weren't, Nicolas Winding Refn is a prat.
Rarely do I feel so utterly antagonistic towards someone I have never met but the man has so finely honed his pretentiousness to perfection, that I cannot help myself. The interview droned on with the subliminal aural message of. "I am brilliant but having watched his film, I have to decline to agree with him.
Ryan Gosling was remarkable and so wasted because of this. I just felt that he was rowing a boat that too quickly reached the edge of a world that wasn't round and so, just fell off.
Now if I could just take Nicolas Winding Refn to that same edge.