I like Ryan Gosling’s weirdo dreamlink attempt to replicate Nicolas Winding Refn’s most pretentious filmmaking gimmicks. Lost River is a very bizarre movie but never particularly boring. The movie got so interesting and inventive at a point that I completely forgot this was written and directed by Ryan Gosling. And that counts for something in my book. The man definitely knows how to built atmosphere.

It’s really something; I saw Gozzie’s Lost River one night when I was just about asleep on the couch. It was 3:30 a.m. and I was flicking through the shows and infomercials and somehow stopped on this film. It had just started. From that moment, and until this bizarre tale ended , I was transfixed. The music was so weird and unique, but fit the narrative like nothing I’d ever seen before. And Mattreuyoo Smitty is absolutely astonishing as the big bad; riding around in a throne on top of a moving Cadillac. Or was it a Lincoln Continental?? This movie is literally like a dream. It is. And it’s beautiful. People will say Gozzie is ripping off Lynch or Bunuel or whoever made films like this before. But don’t you listen to them. It’s fresh. Original. And highly evocative. ps the Aussie Ben Mendalorian is also unbelievable in this film. 8.5/10

Everyone's a critic, but this film evoked exactly the emotions I know it intended to. I'm now left sitting in a post-Lost-River melancholy, contemplating the desire for a home of our own, and all the debts which when they're spent, keep us from ever feeling like we truely belong. When "the man" comes to collect, he rapes us of our dignity and purity, all for the sake of a patch of dirt and the wood and nails to match. We are coersed into deals with the devil, and when he leaves town, we're left with nothing but trinket-rubbish, ash in our mouths and rats to call friends. The only thing which might save us, are thoughts of fictional worlds, of spells and hidden treasures. Only to lunge us into the abyss regardless, and leave us searching for the life we thought we had already won. Sure this film is about Detroit, but it's about so, so much more. I wasn't a fan of Gosling's before, but I sure as hell am now.

If you enjoyed gummo, tideland, or welcome to the dollhouse this movie will satisfy you. A good reminder to look at what you are hanging on to at the cost that comes with it.

Surreal tragedy of love in the middle of lost places. Cunning story of conquering the monster. Magic score composed by Johnny Jewel. Shine on, Ryan!

Seriously misrepresented- This movie was visually interesting, heartfelt, and beautiful all the way around. I related to the characters' stories of wanting desperately to hold on to their past, and the suspense made me feel like I was right there with them. The dreamlike music helped to drive that feeling home. Many reviews led me to believe this would be overly dark and without hope, which made it so much more exciting when I saw those reviews turned out to be wrong.

Completely incompetent in anything but acting.

It's an experimental film for connoisseurs. I think the theme of economic hardship and the social fabric falling apart is reflective of the U.S.A. today in many people's experience and I think this is what the movie depicts. But the dreams and horrors and symbolism in the movie are quite overwhelming and I am not sure all of it interpretable. (A real life dream is only 15 - 20 minutes, not a couple hours). It is a difficult and painful movie to watch but not boring. I like Ben Mendelsohn in any movie. I like to get some useful advice ("moral") out of a work of literature. From this movie I got (1) no need to hold on to a residence just because you've been there a long time. When it's time to leave, it's time to leave, especially if the whole neighborhood is being torn down and is burning, but also in real life, many times it is just time to leave. (2) Secondly, it is very important to strive to have as intact a family as possible.

Nice photography, very good with the light, not amazed by the shots, the script it is bad, the plot is confusing, and doesn't make much sense ( doesn't have to make sense, but the problem it is that it tries to have a meaning, but it doesn't ) I gave 2 stars only because of the neon, the green background with red and sometimes orange contrast, some flames looked nice ( no computer graphics ) overall I do not recomend this movie.

Don't know why the reviews are so bad, it's a little different but not as bad as the reviews make it.

Another very underrated one.

I loved the strangeness of the story, the way the shots looked, the foreboding atmosphere and the synth heavy soundtrack.

Terrible movie. Poorly written. I wonder what type of drugs the writer and director were taking to release something this stupid! Dont waste your time with this one

Lost river is so obsessed with style, tone, and visuals, that loses its sense of narrative and a compelling story. Performances are OK and the film is different but it’s not very compelling, and it’s a bit confusing with a mudled dull story. Ryan gosling has talent behind the camera so I would like to see what he does next film seems more like an experimental film than anything.

I believe that most of the reviews on this movie are written by reviewers looking for this story to be explicit, pronounced and concrete. This movie had a slice of life style, a throw back to the golden cult films of the 80s and 90s but mixed with a very signature aesthetic that Ryan Gosling is drawn. The story line feels deeply relevant to our present times where people cling to hope even in the wreckage of our dystopia. I thought it was quite beautiful and tense.

i thought it was real good i wish it was longer shit was real wierd

Unbelievably stupid Movie. Thank goodness I could fast forward it or I wouldn't of been able to get through it

Lost river es esteticamente pretenciosa y narrativamente tediosa,el trabajo de gosling para un melancolico cargue de emociones hace de Lost river una experiencia aburrida adornada de muchos colores.

It's an ok movie that doesn't really thrill or stimulate. Its a drama more than a suspense flick. The acting is ok and Gossling does a fine job behind the camera, but everything (the concept, story, cinematography) just feels too "small town"-ish to entertain. Theres not much character development so you're not all-in with the family. I don't think this script should've been made into a movie.

Lost River is disappointing, not because it's lacking in ideas, but because it doesn't execute any of them correctly, making for a muddled, self-indulgent attempt at arthouse.