Body Of Work: Ryan Gosling

Each week over the summer, I’ve brought you a review of a new movie on Saturday. But, alas, the summer is over, my schedule is getting more hectic and the stream of new movies coming out each week is running dry. That means, there won’t be a film review of a just-released flick every week. But don’t fret, dear readers: Just because there won’t be a new review doesn’t mean The Golden Review will go away. The new feature being unveiled this week is “Body Of Work,” where I’ll talk about one actor/writer/director and explore some of their career highlights.

This week, I’ll discuss the cinematic resume of Ryan Gosling, the talented leading man who came to fame in his early teens as a Mouseketeer alongside pop royalty Brittany Spears and Justin Timberlake. With his boy-band good looks, Gosling could have easily stuck to playing heroic, hunky leads but instead, he distanced himself from that imagine, choosing to play a wide range of emotionally rich characters. With “Drive,” coming out this weekend, on this first installment of Body of Work, I’m delving into Ryan Gosling’s film catalogue.

The Notebook (2004):

Goseling came into many people’s consciousness with this beautiful, if not sappy, WWII-era romantic drama. He plays Noah, a rugged, handsome bumpkin who meets and then falls hopelessly in love with the well-to-do Allie (the luminous Rachel McAdams). This the archetypal romantic "weepie,: the kind that brings tears to the eyes of many a teen girl just by mentioning the title. If you want to see a “I need a good cry” kinda flick, you can’t get much better than “The Notebook.” But, even though I’m neither a fan of that genre or a woman, I couldn’t help but be charmed by the film. While it’s decidedly “Romeo and Juliet” and parts of it are almost sickeningly maudlin, the fresh-faced cast and direct, attractive filmmaking almost make up for it.

I also applaud the way director Nick Cassavetes was able to escape some usual film clichés, like the way he plays Noah and Ellie’s first intimate encounter. It isn’t steamy and slick, the way most romance novel films would do it, it’s awkward and clumsy and slow, much the way it is when two naïve virgins do some experimenting.  Don’t get me wrong, ”The Notebook” is sap, but it’s good sap.

Half Nelson (2006):

Possibly my favorite in the Gosling canon, this indie drama flew under the radar in 2006. Directed by Ryan Fleck, it follows Dan Dunne, a warn-out crack addict who teaches junior high in a rough inner-city neighborhood. One of his students, played by Shareeka Epps, takes a shine to her struggling teacher and the two wounded souls meet together and form an unlikely, platonic friendship. It’s a humble film, but “Half Nelson” is emotionally honest, unpretentious and searingly authentic. See it, you won’t be disappointed.

Lars & the Real Girl (2007):

If I were to tell you that “Lars & The Real Girl” is about a loner who falls in love with a life-size doll, would you believe me? How about if told you it’s not just a wonderful film, but a heartbreaking, beautiful one? In the hands of almost any other actor, the premise would play more like an “Saturday Night Live” skit, but with Gosling in the lead, “Lars” is a sincere character study about an emotionally-crippled man and his discovery of love in the most unlikely of places.

Blue Valentine (2010):

“Blue Valentine” opens on Gosling, but not the handsome actor we’re used to. His Dean is balding and hunched over, with bags under his eyes and a sagging paunch. He wasn’t always like this, so the film flashes back to his younger days when he was a white trash mover, hopelessly in love with Cindy (Michelle Williams). The films straddles both stories, showing the chronology of their toxic relationship. At times, “Valentine” feels so authentic, you want to look away ‘cause you feel like you’re spying on the neighbors. But that’s also the film’s biggest asset. In a movie so stripped and seemingly simple, the performances are everything. And they are brilliant.

All Good Things (2010):

With shades of “Psycho” and every “48 Hours” episode ever produced, “All Good Things” is a domestic mystery based on a 1982 cold case. In the mid-1970s, wealthy heir David Marks met Katie (Kirsten Dunst), a sweet hippy who dreams of going to medical school. They have a seemingly ideal courtship and marriage, but after they move to New York City — so David can work for his father’s large real estate empire — things begins to sour. David becomes distant, angry and violent.

Their tumultuous relationship continues to spiral until, one day, Katie goes missing and is never found. The best part of "All Good Things" is its cast: Gosling’s convincing in the role of the unstable husband, as is Dunst, as strong as I’ve ever seen her, as the questioning wife. The ensemble cast is equally is good, with Frank Langella, Lily Rabe, the underrated Phillip Baker Hall and Kristin Wiig, in a rare dramatic performance. But the film falls flat due to a predictable plot (this is one Meredith Baxter appearance away from a Lifetime movie) and its inability to go any emotionally deeper than a “60 Minutes” report.

Crazy, Stupid Love (2011):

“It’s like you’re photo-shopped!” Emma Stone’s "Hannah" says to Ryan Gosling’s "Jacob" after he removes his shirt, showing her his sculpted, muscular abs. “Love” allows Gosling to let loose and show off his comedic side as a confident ladies man, trying to school suburban dad Cal (Steve Carell) in the ways of wooing women. His comedic skills are as sharp as his dramatic ones and it’s fun to see an actor who’s usually so method and intense play up his natural charisma and charm. The film, about three generations of couples, is sweet and funny, but Gosling’s Lothario provides the most interesting character and the biggest laughs.