If it had come from a new, first-time director fresh out of film school, Lost River might have garnered more praise. Its experimental montage style is highly inventive and unusual, reminiscent of Harmony Korine or David Lynch. A fractured society is portrayed through a series of fractured images. But the sound design is the equivalent of a punch in the face, and the myriad images never quite manage to knit themselves together into a coherent narrative. Discussion among writers has focused as much on Gosling as an artist as Lost River itself. A viewing of the film is clouded by the famous name behind it, even though that name was probably used to secure funding and audiences in the first place.
So what is the superstar to do after deciding to direct a film themselves? A look back at the recent history of thespians in charge provides an interesting set of rules. Firstly, it is a good idea to shine a light on a less famous actor. Last year, Angelina Jolie's Unbroken provided an excellent role for up-and-comer Jack O'Connell, and received relatively favourable reviews. Another good idea is to adapt a book. Argo, while not earning Ben Affleck a directorial Oscar, was awarded Best Picture and critical acclaim for it's thoughtful, narrative based true story. The main mistake to avoid is narcissism. Famous actors and actresses are often called upon to play charming, charismatic Casanovas. But when they place themselves in this role, it becomes even less believable. The trend for having sex with Sofia Vergara and Scarlett Johansson in their films was shared by John Turturro, Jon Favreau, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This also goes for acting beyond one's age (see Kevin Spacey's 2004 debacle Beyond the Sea). Another tip would be to avoid writing the film yourself as well. Despite several exceptions to this rule, you only have to watch the opening of Tom Hank's Larry Crowne to see the entire production weakened from the outset by Hanks's writing. The safest route would be to copy Ralph Fiennes and Kenneth Branagh and have it written by Shakespeare.
A final rule could be to avoid indulging in any misguided experimental tendencies, bringing us back to the nonsensical Lost River. But in doing this Gosling has chosen not to just play it safe with rom-coms, but to take artistic risks. This surely comes from the actor's obvious desire to prove that he is more than just a pretty face, a fact for which he should be commended.
