Review: "Good Time" is a Powerful and Unnerving Journey Into Moral Chaos

Robert Pattinson

The opening scene of directors Benny and Josh Safdie is a quiet one. With a close-up of mentally challenged man Nick (Benny Safdie), he is being seen by a therapist who is trying to get him to open up. Nick is at first reluctant, but soon learns to shed a tear. As breakthrough is made, a force comes running through the door. It's his brother Connie (Robert Pattinson), who doesn't believe in therapy and believes that Nick is wasting his time. Connie believes that he knows what is right, and that scene transitions into the swirling chaos that is Good Time: a title made ironic in that no character actually has a happy ending. What it does however show is a brilliant character study of how one man's arrogance can find itself clashing with his love in damaging ways over the course of one night, ruining lives when he set out to make his better. It's a powerful film, and one that should officially erase any astigmatism that you have about Pattinson's work in the Twilight franchise. Those who see it won't forget it, as it intensely attacks the soul with contradictory themes and even more stimulating visuals. It may not be the flashiest film of 2017, but it can't help being one of the most intense.

The catalyst for the film comes when Connie leads Nick into a failed bank robbery. While this is a genre done to death (even this summer, there's already been Baby Driver and Logan Lucky), there is something harrowing in the intimacy of this exchange. With barely any knowledge of these characters, they stumble towards freedom almost flawlessly. As sirens can be heard in the background, they can see freedom two stoplights up. Suddenly, the twist comes. A dye pack explodes and forces Connie and Nick to travel on foot. For Connie, this is the rest of the movie. For Nick, it's where he gets sent to Riker's and forces Connie to find a way to bail his brother out. He needs $10,000, which ironically became useless after being exposed to the dye pack. Still, Connie's love knows no limits and he tries to admirably get his brother back safely.

At least, that is the story in Connie's head. Much like the failed bank robbery, what follows is an exercise in tension from The Safdie Brothers. While the film feels rooted in tangential structure, it helps that Connie is in some ways as conman capable of talking his way out of anything. However, everyone quickly becomes like Nick. No matter how different they appear, Connie's negotiation tactics become worse as he finds his struggles becoming harder. It is best experienced in its free form, heart racing execution with a score by Oneohtrix Point Never whose pulsating structure rivals Dunkirk for most effective subliminal score of 2017. This one incorporates a drugged out techno vibe that matches the swirling colors of scenery that Connie visits throughout the film. Even in their stillness, they are as chaotic as Connie's soul. He has no end game, just that he can use others to hopefully get to his brother.

While Pattinson has proven to be a good actor before, this may be the definitive turning point where he became a great one. The simple act of him berating his brother and not realizing the psychological harm it does to him is a powerful execution of cadence. The selective use of words unveil more about Connie as he is forced to run from trouble and only finds more. The story only continues down a more hellish landscape of characters and scenarios that are as disturbing as any horror movie. But Connie is too focused to feel fear. What he needs is to satisfy his desire, which ironically is misguided and selfish even when it's focusing on helping someone else out. He gives a great physical performance that electrifies the screen and whose remorse is haunting in its absence. 

It helps that the Safdie Brothers have a gift for turning street life into art in ways akin to Martin Scorsese's 1970's dramas. Only these people are far more crass and unpleasant, choosing to step over each other for their own satisfaction. It's unnerving in part because the filmmakers try to convince the audience that something good can come. When that does happen, it's only a few steps from the next issue. The pacing is superb, even during the opening robbery scene as moments of reassurance are interfered by a more realistic punishment. The Safdie Brothers don't come from a Hollywood sense of criminality. They come from a place where drugs are rampant and people are awful even when they're morally ambiguous. One of the greatest shames is if Pattinson misses any attention this awards season. He captures a part of humanity that is unpleasant, but compelling in how he tries to rationalize his actions.

Good Time is a drama that shows how much innovation can be made in the indie film world. The film incorporates gritty realism with a colorful fantasy straight out of a demented rave that is likely causing nausea and panic attacks. It's a surreal experience that works because of how dedicated Pattinson is in pulling off a thankless, fearless role. It may be a tough sit at times, but it is done with effective execution that pops off the screen and asks the viewer to question their own morality. What would they do to get their beloved family members back? Some of it is economic concerns, but another part is simply doing the right thing in the first place. This is a web of conflicting ideals, and the Safdie Brothers perfectly prove how compelling and disturbing they can be at the same time.