5. It's Different
Obviously arthouse cinema isn't for everyone. It's much more abstract and artistic, more about making a statement or an artistic notion, than simply to entertain with traditional storytelling and narrative. However, that being said Only God Forgives is quite unorthodox, and manages to be an experimental thought-provoking film, whilst entertaining at a base level. The film depicts Julian (Ryan Gosling) as a fight promoter and owner of an underground boxing ring. One night his sleazy brother goes to the slums in search of a young prostitute, which he finds and promptly murders. An ominous policeman known as Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm) who believes himself to be some kind of god commands the father of said prostitute, to claim his revenge and murder the culprit. After Julian's brother dies, his mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) soon comes to Bangkok to seek revenge on behalf of her family. The drama unfolds as Julian ponders which path he should take. The plot is fairly simple, and mostly in the background. However, the film still manages to be gripping and tense, as you question what's next, in a line of unpredictable and brutal events. It's fundamentally different, if nothing else.