10 Directors Who Squandered Their Audiences' Goodwill On One Awful Film

6. Nicolas Winding Refn

Goodwill Built On: The Pusher Trilogy, Bronson, DriveGoodwill Squandered On: Only God Forgives Nicolas Winding Refn's 2011 neor-noir thriller Drive won him the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival and, despite an initially cool box office reception, found a fervent cult following when it was released for home viewing. Fans of Drive eagerly awaited Refn's follow-up, Only God Forgives, that reteamed the up-and-coming Danish director with the star of Drive, Ryan Gosling. When Only God Forgives premiered at Cannes, the audience that two years before embraced Drive with open arms, booed and openly mocked the picture. A series of scathing reviews, including a particularly damning review from my colleague at Whatculture! Simon Gallagher , emerged from the screening, highlighting the perverse nature of the film's onscreen violence and its near absence of any narrative thrust. Audience and critics alike have slammed Only God Forgives (rightfully so in my opinion). Refn now has the difficult task of winning back the fans he made with the infinitely superior Drive.