WELL WELL WELL… Look who it is. Ryan MFING Gosling back at it again. With a movie you PROBABLY have never heard of. I had seen it a while ago, maybe 8 years ago, but rewatched it the other day for the sake of the site. And WOW. What a gem. This is an EXCELLENT FUCKING FILM.
Ryan is not the only A lister in this movie that, for a indie feeling movie has A LOT. Ray Liotta makes an appearance. Eva Mendes. Bradley Cooper. Marshahella Ali. A young actor who I do not know his name who is very famous now. I think he was in Stranger Things? And BUNCH of HEY THAT GUY. Incredible cast.
Look this movie is basically 3 movies in one. Or that is what it felt like. You have the beginning of the movie which is set around Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes falling for each other and having a baby. Ryan Gosling though, is not an upstanding citizen. He robs banks, steals, he is a criminal. Eventually that is not good enough for raising a baby and Eva leaves. First Part.
Second Part involves a tragic interaction unfolding between police officer Bradley Cooper and criminal Ryan Gosling. What happens after this is a series of truly criminal acts by the police force, which again, feels like its own movie.
Then, lastly, we get the final act, which is 15 years later, Bradley Cooper and his world crash into Eva Mendes and her world AGAIN. And in a way that is very OH HOLY SHIT. My only thing here is, the ending, COULD have been better. I do not know how, BUT, man I really thought it would be more WHELMING and it was a bit underwhelming for me personally for such an incredible story.
This movie has incredible acting, great story telling, MULTIPLE and I mean MULTIPLE thought provoking scenarios plus wildly entertaining and interesting. A gem. Go watch it. NOW! That is a review.