Ryan Gosling's most brutal movie isn't 'Drive, it's this surreal thriller — stream it free on Tubi
Like a lot of people, I thought I knew what I was getting into with "Only God Forgives." I saw the poster, recognized Nicolas Winding Refn as the director and expected another slick, stylish crime flick with Ryan Gosling brooding behind the wheel.
But when I finally sat down to watch it, I got something stranger, colder, and way more hypnotic.
"Only God Forgives" is dreamlike and disorienting while awash with Refn's signature neons. It moves at a crawl, says almost nothing out loud, and fills every moment with violence and dread. It's also one of Gosling's most daring roles.
Several critics and moviegoers alike wrote off "Only God Forgives" as just another action flick that oozes with style. But if you give yourself over to it, it works like a slow, suffocating descent into guilt and vengeance. And now that it's streaming free on Tubi, there's no better time to dive in.
Julian (Gosling) is an American living in Bangkok who runs a seedy Muay Thai boxing club that's really just a front for a drug smuggling operation, though.
When his violent older brother is killed after committing a horrific crime, Julian is pressured by his mother, Crystal (Kristin Scott Thomas), to take revenge, whether he wants to or not.
Crystal belittles Julian, idolizes her dead son, and turns everything around her toxic. Then there's Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm), a mysterious ex-cop who sees himself as the hand of justice. And while Julian might look like the main character, Chang is the real force in the story that ties everything together in one of the most violent ways possible.
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The movie finds all of these characters circling each other in hateful silence, though Gosling shines with his quiet anger. No one here is a hero. No one walks away clean. And no one really talks about what they're feeling, which breeds tension you can cut with a knife.
Gosling barely says a word in this movie, but that's what makes his performance stand out. He plays Julian as someone completely shut down. He's emotionally flat, stuck between guilt and fear, and controlled by the people around him.
It's the opposite of the confident, stylish roles Gosling is known for, and it shows how much he can do without saying anything at all. And honestly, he's never been more attractive than here.
The movie is tense, quiet, and sometimes brutal. It won't work for everyone, but if you're into dark crime stories or character studies where silence says more than dialogue, this one is worth your time. Especially when you have Gosling's somewhat unpredictable, quietly angered brother on the loose. Is he going to do what his family wants him to do? Or will seeking vengeance finally send him flying off the handle?
"Only God Forgives" is streaming free on Tubi right now. If you've never seen it or want to see Gosling do something totally different, now's a good time to watch.
Watch "Only God Forgives" free on Tubi.
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New York Post
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4 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
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New York Post
4 hours ago
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'Even with Kimmel posing softball questions, and Obama frequently interjecting to provide support,' the story said, 'Biden struggled to explain key parts of his campaign platform, with attendees saying that the president frequently stumbled over his remarks, trailed off or was simply confusing.' 6 Pres. Obama has staked his post-presidential legacy on moral authority, clarity and legitimacy. His role in clouding Biden's health demands that legacy be reconsidered. AP Advertisement By June 27, Biden's disastrous performance in the CNN debate with former President Trump in Atlanta had triggered an open revolt, with leading Democrats and rank-and-file primary voters clamoring for Biden to withdraw from the contest. Throughout the incumbent's long political death-spiral, former President Obama — who had urged Biden against running in 2016 and 2020, worried the older man might 'embarrass himself' — remained silent. In what the Associated Press called 'the most delicate political moment for Democrats since former President Bill Clinton's impeachment,' Obama was seen struggling 'to balance his role as a party elder and an honest broker for Democrats seeking advice while avoiding being seen as betraying his former vice president.' Missing from this depiction was a key group: the American people. In Biden's season of torment, Obama may have deemed it prudent to keep his own counsel; but that doesn't explain his presence at the Peacock Theater in the first place. Could someone as perceptive and politically astute as Obama, a bestselling memoirist and two-time winner of the Electoral College, really have failed to discern Biden's unfitness until the fundraiser? Advertisement 6 Despite being enabled by sycophantic aides — and his Vice President — Biden's deterioration was well-known among much of Washington. Getty Images And even if that were true, why did Obama wait until after the debate, almost two weeks, before taking action to protect the electorate? By July 11, 'Morning Joe' relayed the whispering of top Democrats who believed Obama was 'working behind the scenes to orchestrate' Biden's withdrawal. In short: What took him so long? Barack Obama entered office with a Gallup approval rating of 67% and, after sinking to 40% in 2011, left office with a robust 59%. Polling on former presidents is scant; but Gallup still has Obama at 59%, while a recent YouGov survey lists him at 62%. 6 Following his humiliating defeat to Ronald Reagan in 1980, Jimmy Carter went on to rehabilitate his legacy via ambitious, progressive humanitarian efforts. Getty Images What does it say for a man who, trusted by so many, colluded in a lie to them — that Joe Biden was fit for office — and moreover participated in an enormous transfer of wealth, $30 million in a single evening, to prop up that lie until it became impossible even for the most deluded souls to believe? Rather than use his enduring appeal to force the Democratic Party to do the right thing in mid-2023 — when Biden was still officially mulling whether to seek re-election — Obama held his tongue and hoped for the best. For the winner of the 2017 Profile in Courage Award, the crucible of 2024 was not a Profile in Courage moment. 6 Biden and Obama on that fateful Peacock Theater stage last June, which raised $30 million. AP Advertisement Obama's historical legacy won't rest entirely on the arc and perceptions of his presidency. His actions since 2017 matter, too; and in covering for Biden for so long, Obama displayed a contempt for our democracy, and his own party, unbefitting of a two-term president. Jimmy Carter's post-presidency helped lift his standing in history. For Barack Obama, at least so far, the narrative runs in the other direction. James Rosen is chief Washington correspondent at Newsmax and the author, most recently, of 'Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936-1986.'
