I recently watched the last couple of RG films I had to see, so they’re all ticked off the list. Yes, you heard (read?) right. All 28 of ‘em in all their glory. And sometimes not glory, ‘cause not all of ‘em are great. But hey, they can’t all be real heroes.
28 Frankenstein and Me
This is the Ryan Gosling film I’ve watched most recently and, in its defence, I’m not exactly the target audience (hint: it’s marketed towards kids). Ryan Gosling is essentially ‘cool kid who rides in on cool bicycle and acts cool’. The screenplay isn’t exactly stellar, but then the acting ain’t great either. And yes, you can get great child actors. See: Jodie Foster, Dexter Fletcher, Jack Wild and well, pretty much every key child actor in Bugsy Malone and Oliver! But other great child actors exist too. Anyway, to quote Bart Simpson, this kinda sucks and blows.
27 Stay
This one tries to be more clever than it is, and it suffers for it. Gosling’s got that tortured artist persona going strong, but the screenplay isn’t clever enough to take the narrative anywhere interesting, and some lazy editing just makes it a bit disappointing despite the impressive cast at its helm.
26 Remember the Titans
I guess the main criticism here is that Gosling just isn’t in this film that much, and he doesn’t make a major impact with his limited screen time. The screenplay isn’t strong either, so that doesn’t help. Oof.
25 The Slaughter Rule
Gosling’s channelling his angst energy more here, but plot just doesn’t allow him to reach his full potential. Plus, I can’t see David Morse without seeing the bad guy dude from Twelve Monkeys. There’s also a kind of reverse Good Will Hunting schtick going on which doesn’t create much emotional impact here. Not that I particularly liked Good Will Hunting much in the first place. Yeah, look at me out here with all those edgy opinions. Um, anyway…this film ain’t peak Gosling. Far from it.
24 Song To Song
I don’t remember a whole lot of this movie, because not much really happens. I’d essentially sum it up as ‘four sexy people walk around doing nothing’. I think some romantic hoohah happened here and there, but heck, it was pretty darn hollow.
23 Murder By Numbers
It’s nice to see Gosling embrace a bit of murder here, even if the plot and actors don’t quite match up. It’s not like Gosling is terrible in any of the films so far, it’s usually because he hasn’t got the right screenplay or supporting cast. And yes, sometimes it’s because he hasn’t required his full acting skillset yet. But y’know, he’s on his way.
22 United States of Leland
Again, good to see a bit of a murde vibes from the Goz here too, and he makes a decent impression as the titular loner amongst a stellar cast. He just needs a bit more practice to get in to the full on murder groove of later unhinged lads like Julian. Don’t worry. He’ll get there.
21 All Good Things
If you thought Murder By Numbers Gosling was a bit murdery, then All Good Things Gosling is full murder mode. He plays ‘did he do it?’ guy David Marks, based on real life murderer Robert Durst (so…yes, he did do it?). There’s so much ambiguity and cliche that it’s hard to get engaged in the whole story despite a strong performance from Gosling. And that’s not in a cool arthousey ambiguous kind of way, just a frustrating ambiguous kind of way.
20 Fracture
This used to be Gosling’s most wordy film. As in the film where he speaks the most. I’m not sure if it still is, but I wanted you to know that fact anyway. A bit of belief suspension is required here and there, but overall it’s a fun thriller. Gosling is on good form as he tries to solve a murder case, and he’s certainly enigmatic. He’s just better, in, well, the following movies.
19 Gangster Squad
If you’re willing to accept a fair bit of cheese and spoofery here, then Gosling’s smart talkin’ Sergeant might work for you. Gangster Squad is hella stylised, so don’t go into this one expecting a whole load of realism. This is also the weakest Ryan Gosling-Emma Stone relationship film for me here, because the ham just gets too, well…hammy. Plus the characterisation ain’t great. Not one of Gosling’s finest, despite the rizz.
18 Crazy, Stupid Love
Definitely a stronger Gosling-Stone joint right here. You’ve got the Dirty Dancing scene, and you’ve got some pretty decent comedy commitment from Gosling. At the end of the day though, this is a rom-com, and that genre just really ain’t my thing. Even if there is plenty of rizz on display, that just ain’t enough to get past my rom-com aversion. Sorry dude.
17 The Place Beyond the Pines
Gosling certainly makes an impact here with that opening scene, and he’s really getting into his ‘emoting without saying shit’ persona here, which is great to see. And it’s the first time he’s goes for that audacious blonde look (nope, Barbie wasn’t the first time). He’s got a few other great moments too, but he just doesn’t get the chance to show his full potential here. Why? Because he’s only in about a third of the film. Why, you ask? Well…reasons. It’s worth seeing Pines just to appreciate the fact that it’s the reason why Gosling and Eva Mendes got together. And that’s a great thing.
16 The Notebook
Here’s the one that got Gosling fully into the heartthrob sphere, and, again, while I’m not a huge fan of films that rely heavily on romance, I can appreciate the service that Gosling brought to the film industry with this flick. Probably not one I’ll be rewatching too soon, but hey, it was a pivotal role in Gosling’s career. That’s important.
15 The Grey Man
I was pretty disappointed to see Gosling follow up his genius silent hero era with this film. Heck, that first scene? Where he’s spitting out MULTIPLE SENTENCES? Bleugh. Get back to that laconicism, bro. But nah, it ain’t terrible, but it ain’t great either. The Russo Brothers should probably stick to the MCU universe.
14 The Fall Guy
Gosling’s most recent effort is pretty fun, it’s just not the silent, brooding Gosling, which is where he’s at his best. His comedy chops are still strong though, and he’s got some nice chemistry going with Emily Blunt. The plot isn’t anything to write home about, but that’s not really the point. If you like fun action films, you’ll probably enjoy it. If you’re a fan of more gloomy, taciturn films, like good ol’ me, then you won’t enjoy it quite as much.
13 Blue Valentine
Now, here we are. Here’s some brooding Gosling. Is the film depressing? Yes. Is it also a decent watch? Yes. If you go into it expecting a nice wholesome valentines movie with your partner, then…you won’t get it. The whole plot is essentially about the breakdown of a relationship (no, that’s not a spoiler, the same way me saying Marriage Story has that basic plot isn’t a spoiler either). It’s one for the feels. The depressing feels, admittedly.
12 La La Land
Ah yes, the big one. The one that didn’t bag the Best Picture award. Ultimately, Moonlight was the more deserving candidate, but heck, it’s still fun to hear Gosling’s vocal cords. Admittedly, we heard a bit of them in Blue Valentine, here, they’re out in full force. Definitely Gosling and Stone’s finest collab, and it was nice that they didn’t go for the straightforward happy ending. Good fun, and a nice little love letter to Hollywood. Not Damien Chazelle’s finest work, however. Oh no, you’ll find that lad down way lower at number 3.
11 The Ides of March
A bit of an underrated one. One of Gosling’s more talkative roles, but he puts in a strong performance, rightfully earning a bit of Golden Globe attention as junior campaign manager Stephen Meyers. He also does a decent job in holding his own against big players like George Clooney and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Good stuff, Gosling.
10 Lars and the Real Girl
The premise of a man having a relationship with a sex doll may be rather odd, but roll with it. Gosling manages to make the whole thing work with his ‘chunky Gosling’ charisma. And no, that’s not a fat suit. That’s Gosling. He’d put on all that extra pudge for the role of Jack Salmon in Peter Jackman’s The Lovely Bones. Lots and lots of Häagen Dazs ice cream, apparently (a technique that Austin Butler took inspiration from for his role in Elvis). There hadn’t been any agreement about this Method acting decision with Jackman himself, however, who got so mad that he fired Gosling’s ass and replaced him with Mark Whalberg. No worries though, because Gosling channelled all that ‘chunky Gosling’ energy into this surprisingly poignant performance as the eponymous loner.
9 The Believer
The one that earned Gosling wide critical acclaim and got his name some serious attention. Playing Jewish Neo Nazi Daniel Blaint, Gosling expresses himself with both heavy dialogue and pained body language, proving to be a serious force to be reckoned with in the cinematic arena.
8 The Big Short
Ultimately, Christian Bale gets most of the attention here as the central actor, but Gosling still gets in a great performance as the sardonic and frequently fourth wall breaking Jared Vennett. Bolstered by Adam McKay and Charles Randolph’s genius screenplay, Gosling makes a big impression with a relatively background role. I’m not sure if the pitch-black hairstyle really works, but that’s a separate issue.
7 Only God Forgives
This got plenty of hate upon release. I’m not going to argue against that hate, in the sense that Only God Forgives is a very marmite film. You’re probably either going to really hate it or really like it. While I sometimes ask myself if I really like it, I’ve come to the conclusion that to do, based on the fact that I talked about it a decent bit in my book. You could certainly make the argument that Nicolas Winding Refn gets a bit indulgence with his love of violence and esoteric plots, but it worked for me. It won’t work for most, but that’s cool.
6 Half Nelson
Gosling’s in prime indie mode here as druggie middle school teacher Dan Dunne. He was very much deserving of his Oscar nomination here, not leaning into cheesy stereotypes and creating character with minimal body language. The writing’s great, as is the supporting cast, and it has some nice ambiguities too. The fact that Half Nelson never leads into any schmaltzy moral messages is definitely a thumbs up.
5 Barbie
SUBLIME.
4 The Nice Guys
Gosling in peak comedy mode, and I won’t hear otherwise. I’ve seen a few other reviewers comparing his acting style here to that of the legendary ‘stone face’, Buster Keaton, which is probably why I like it so much. Gosling is also a genius paring with Russel Crowe, with comic talent only heightened by Shane Black and Anthony Bagarozzi’s genius screenplay. Gosling generates plenty of physical comedy, though, and it’s also rare joy to have The Nice Guys as a stand alone project rather than pushing a sequel. Hopefully it doesn’t get one, because it’s a polished little gem all on its own.
3 First Man
Oh, you think this is a movie about the Apollo 11 mission, do you? A film that’s filled with plenty of action and explanatory dialogue, hm? WELL IT’S NOT. IT’S A HEARTFELT EXPLORATION OF GRIEF AND LOSS WITH MINIMAL DIALOGUE AND MANY POWERFUL EXPRESSIVE GESTURES. Well, the moon landing’s there, but it’s just a backdrop for a wider story about Armstrong’s unspoken grief for the loss of his young daughter Karen due to a brain tumour. But yeah, if you’re hoping for a load of action, you ain’t getting’ it. Soulful, heartfelt, magic.
2 Drive
Literally me. But yeah, this film rocks. It kicks ass. Words don’t do justice to how outstanding this joint is. The editing, the lighting, the acting. Everything. Every shot is imbued with meaning. And sure, I’ve gone back and watched it to an autistic degree. It’s the kind of film that invites that kind of obsessive watching. Have I got a replica of the jacket, you ask? Maybe. Maybe I do. I’ve written about the film countless times, I’ve read the book (too much dialogue, imo), and, uh…yeah. It’s just…awesomeness. Ryan Gosling is Driver, and Driver is Ryan Gosling.
1 Blade Runner 2049
Also, Ryan Gosling is K, and K is Ryan Gosling. C’mon now, you knew this film would be in the top position. Similar to Drive, every shot is a piece of art. I can’t believe my dumbass self went into the preview screening thinking this was going to be a failure. Heck, it’s a masterpiece. And yes, it crashed at the box office just like the original. That don’t mean jack. It’s an engrossing tapestry of visual mastery. That orange? No one’s recreated that orange. Denis Villeneuve makes that a whole new colour in itself. And yep, Gosling is at his acting peak here. You don’t need any heavy monologuing or insane cuts. All you need is Gosling.
You’ll be surprised to learn that I’ve written other RG pieces over the years (some are below). Also, I’ve written a book where RG films feature a decent bit.