Ryan Gosling Strikes A Fighting Pose In ‘Only God Forgives’ Stills

“Want to fight?” Those are the ominous words Ryan Gosling says to his opponent in the trailer for Nick Refn’s Only God Forgives. Before the release of the tense tonally structured trailer, the image of Gosling’s face beaten to a pulp was the only thing we had to put with Only God Forgives. Now we have exclusive images of Gosling in mid-fight with his opponenet, which may be the reason for his disfigured look.

With only a little over a week away from its Cannes Film Festival premiere, a bunch of photos from Refn’s Only God Forgives has been released along with a director’s statement about the film. Refn knows how to stylize his films which are often heavy handed in violence. Paired with Gosling for Drive, he was able to balance that line of coolness with a violent atmosphere for a second time.

There’s no doubting that these photos released of Gosling are extremely reminiscent of the mood captured in their first film together, Drive. It’s a very promising look for their second outing. About the film Refn said:
“We are so used to seeing crime and violence as being the work of male characters that the very notion of seeing a woman embody absolute evil – and a mother to boot – it was great fun to write.”

In the film Gosling plays an American fugitive Julian, who is living in Bangkok and is seeking justice over the death of his brother. His mother (Kristin Scott Thomas), is the head of a criminal enterprise. Of casting Kristin Scott Thomas, Refn said, “I had Kristin in mind for the part of Julian’s mother early on. We met in Paris and I thought it would be very interesting to do a combination of Lady Macbeth and Donatella Versace.”

It’s an interesting angle, one that hasn’t been done before by a modern noir director such as Refn, which makes for an anticipated release. Until then you’ll have to wait until it hits theaters on July 19.

Check out the new stills below: