With an opening sequence that Terrence Malick would be proud of, Lost River plunges into a murky but beautiful nightmare inspired by the likes of Lynch, Argento, Refn, and Kubrick. The directorial debut by Ryan Gosling, who also wrote the film, had its North American premiere at SXSW 2015 after a number of polarizing festival screenings.
Lost River, Detroit, is a dead city. Foreclosures and decay have rotted it away, leaving a few derelict houses with their inhabitants trying to hold things together while some revel in the rot. Billy (Christina Hendricks) is single mother of two who, trying to save her home from repossession, finds herself drawn into a perverse underworld while her son Bones (Iain De Casestecker) finds himself at odds with a local hoodlum Bully (Matt Smith), colluding with his neighbor Rat (Saorise Ronan) to uncover the truth behind the origins of Lost River and a potential curse that hangs over the town.
Lost River is a simple tale, but one that meanders through the ruins of the city showing off the seedier elements as well as those that remain, clinging to their old lives and the decay.
It veers from derelict houses being stripped of their valuble copper to family homes filled with tattered memories of the past to a weird underground bordello, where blood and gore themed shows entertain a perverse clientele.
In a way, the plot is a simple one, but it progresses in a surreal way that is also matched by its tone. Lost River veers from a documentary feel to ethereal to a neon saturated gothic fantasy. It hinges on a simple narrative, but it is the visuals and layers of the film that make up much of the substance.
For a film about decay it’s surprisingly beautiful at times. Detroit provides a fascinating and apt setting to explore urban decay imagery.
The people in the tale are trapped in a purgatory, a cycle of decay, until they realize truths about their livea and relationships and learn to let go of these remnants of the past. De Caestecker is solid but pretty anonymous, except for his scenes with the ever-impressive Ronan. Hendricks is as always a wondrous presence. The most memorable turns come from Smith as an over the top “King of the Ruins” that wouldn’t be out of place in a Mad Max film, and Mendelsohn, who unsettles with his crooning, deviant persona.
It’s not only the directors listed in the opener that seem to have been inspirational sources but actual features too, with many scenes hearkening back to other more off-beat endeavors such as Blue Velvet, Only Lovers Left Alive, and Eyes Wide Shut. This is not to place Lost River amongst such illustrious company, but more a sign of a direction Gosling may be heading with some refinement.
While I can’t fault the ambition, the inexperience of the director largely manifests in the editing and camera work. Flow is disrupted, and choices linger in the memory.
The feature shows a tendency to resort to the derivative at times; some themes are hinted at, with others smashed over your head. Scenes are more concerned with symbology than embracing a direct narrative choice. There is literally a Miss Havisham character (played by Barbara Steele) deposited into the film for no real purpose but to underline a very clear theme. Likewise, the take home message for the characters is not left to a simple realisation at the end, but has to be driven home by an animated film, showing a lack of deftness.
Gosling wisely pairs with cinematographer Benoit Debie on his debut, and coupled with a wonderful soundtrack from Johnny Jewel, a gloss is added that allows many of the flaws to be overlooked. There is enough potential here that his next venture would certainly be one to watch, perhaps without the dual roles of writing and directing which dilutes focus, and a second directorial venture would allow him to put more of a personal stamp on things than draw so heavily from others, albeit in a captivating way.
Lost River does feel like a director testing the waters, but there is more here to admire and process than there is to criticize. There are many “borrowed” elements, but they mesh into something that takes you on a fascinating meandering journey through a derelict fairy tale. Even if you can’t get into the story, the visuals and performances ensure you’re never disinterested. A fascinating effort that hints at much potential.