Last weekend I have rewatched both “Drive” (2011) and “Only God Forgives” (2013). The films are very similar, yet very different. Both have Ryan Gosling as poker-faced main character. In both films Goslings character is involved in illegal activities, but does not really seem to want to. Of course, both films are slow and minimalistic.
“Only God Forgives” is a lot darker though, much more violent too and a lot stranger. “Drive” has more of a ‘normal story’ with characters that you can emphatise with. Goslings character seems to want to do good, but things go very opposital. This is, in a way, also true for his character in “Only God Forgives”, but here he seems more self-destructive, he does not really do the things he does for somebody else, but more because he feels the presure to.
I am not sure which film I like best. When I reviewed them, I both rated them 4,5 out of 5 stars. I guess I would still give them about that much credit, but it is not like they are so comparable that I can say they are equally good. Especially “Only God Forgives” requires a mood for a ‘strange film’. I think “Drive” is better suited for ‘the larger audience’.
Well, let us say that I still like them both.