Discussion LTTP: Good Time (2017)

[Christo750]

So riding a Batman/Robert Pattinson high, my fiance and I decided to finally check out Good Time! For those who don't know it was directed by the Safdie Brothers, co-starring Benny Safdie, and is honestly a precursor to their big breakout hit Uncut Gems; the two movies share a lot of the same DNA. It's been on my radar for a long time so I'm glad I finally got to sit down and watch it because holy SHIT what a movie.

This is up there with Pattinson's best work as an actor and IMO solidifies him as one of the best actors going today. I don't even know if he gets flack anymore from the Twilight movies on a grand scale; I think he's proven himself enough by now. But his character Connie is just an absolute bastard. Such an effortless crook, somehow knowing exactly what to do in a certain situation to get what he wants, and he constantly stoops to new lows. There isn't a plethora of character development as this is basically a window into this particular 24 hours of this dude's life, but much like Uncut Gems, it maintains its pace and remains exciting despite it.

I also read that while actors were given a script, they were implored to use it merely as a guideline. The actors were given deep character backgrounds and were essentially told to improvise, a technique that, I believe, was also used in Uncut Gems. Good Time has way fewer moving parts regarding characters so it never feels as chaotic, but it really helps you feel engrossed in the movie like you're watching real people, as opposed to scripted dialogue. It's very effective. Maybe that's what has me forgiving a lack of on-screen character development so easily. I'll go back to the effortless comment before; all of these characters feel effortlessly played.

If you haven't seen Good Time, if you've only seen Uncut Gems, if you haven't seen Uncut Gems but are interested in another film by the Safdie brothers, go check this out. Maybe this one first too; it's way less of a 2-hour heart attack than Uncut Gems is.

 

[Deleted member 2484]

Pattinson is absolutely killing it. He's one of a kind.

It's always a shame to see idiots still dismiss him (and they do) due to his previous status as a sparkly teen heartthrob. His work with the Safdies, Claire Denis, Robert Eggers and David Cronenberg has more than cemented his status as an extraordinary performer.

Also Uncut Gems absolutely slaps. My blood pressure is still that little bit higher.