futiledevicesss’s review published on Letterboxd:
The influences of Heat, Taxi Driver, Scarface, The Godfather are all over this but just blended through a more modern lense and classic noir sensibilities. The use of the score isn’t just to create a vibe, it’s genuinely so well interwoven within the storytelling and very intentional. The violence is some of the most disturbingly realistic I think I’ve ever seen in a film. It isn’t cinematic or overly dramatic, it’s blunt and silent and chaotically random which makes for very unsettling viewing. Ryan Gosling’s stoic inner turmoiled turned psychotic portrayal should be up there with Travis Bickle’s of the world. One of his best truly unforgettable performances. I just wish there was more closure in this. That being said, some of the greatest directing of the 21st Century. Thank god for Cannes!
