Good Time

Good Time (2017)

Directed by: The Safdie Brothers

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie

Nominated for Palme d'Or at Cannes 2017

Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

I saw Uncut Gems before watching this film, and I could sense a very strong directorial voice in that film. And that voice was consistent here too. There is a strong sense of style, the tone is unique - it's a bit anxiety inducing. The kind of background score that's used, the plot, the conflicts, the staging, the claustrophobic blocking, the neon light filled scenes, and the way the camera moves - all of them come together to create a visceral nature to the otherwise thin narrative. Robert Pattinson is really good in the part - it's interesting to see a star like him blend into such a raw and gritty world like this seamlessly - I'm sure a lot of work would've gone into making this seem seamless. I really like how they use elements within the scene to add to the anxiety, like I remember once there is a dog barking in the background, once there is a siren that's ringing - simple like these add a sense of claustrophobia to the soundscape and makes it super uncomfortable for us. 

I like how simplistic the plot of this film is, a robbery goes wrong and one of thief tries to safeguard his brother who is mentally unstable. The plot is wafer thin, but how they explore the series of events that unfold that makes it a very rich world. The film is reliant on plot, the inflection point for the film is where Connie realizes that he got someone else thinking that it's his brother. Such an inflection point can take the film in any direction - entirely depending on the character. This new character could be a cop, could be a drug addict, could be a billionaire, could be someone Connie falls in love with. This could change the entire film. I like the direction the film takes from here - it does what it set out to do. The way this character, Ray, unfolds is also interesting. I loved the actor who played this part. Again, the ending is a classic, smooth end to a crime drama.