Lost River (2014)

Dir. Ryan Gosling

“A single mother is swept into a dark underworld, while her teenage son discovers a road that leads him to a secret underwater town.“

I loved this film, and I should have, it has all the hallmarks of films that I enjoy from other directors that I like very much. Which is pretty much the reason why I was also quite disappointed by Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut. Gosling’s influences are quite clear throughout; Refn, Malick, Cianfrance, the film is lyrical, metaphorical, allegorical and above all else it is beautiful. But, Gosling needs to find his own vision. By no means is he owning his influences and creating something out of the ashes of previous films. It’s so derivative in image, sound and tone that it genuinely is quite disappointing. I did love the film, but it tells us nothing about Gosling as a director other than his ability to tell a story through the eyes of other filmmakers. So, maybe Gosling’s future is in writing? I don’t know, i’ll definitely see what he directs next, and will be hoping to see something a little more him. I understand that we are all a product of what has come before, but I don’t expect a film to be a montage of influences, however beautiful it may be. I want something more than that, I want something honest.