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critics consensus

Lost River suggests that debuting writer-director Ryan Gosling may have a bright future as a filmmaker, but it doesn't hold together well enough to recommend on its own merit. Read critic reviews

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Lost River Photos

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Movie Info

A single mother is swept into a dark underworld while her son discovers an underwater town.
  • Rating:
    R (Some Sexual Content|Language|Disturbing Violent Images)
  • Genre:
    mystery and thriller, fantasy
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Ryan Gosling
  • Producer:
    David Lancaster, Michel Litvak, Marc Platt, Adam Siegel
  • Writer:
    Ryan Gosling
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     limited
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $45.4K
  • Runtime:
  • Production Co:
    Marc Platt Productions, Bold Films, Phantasma Films

Cast & Crew

Christina Hendricks
Billy
Iain De Caestecker
Bones
Eva Mendes
Cat
Saoirse Ronan
Rat
Matt Smith
Bully
Ben Mendelsohn
Dave
Barbara Steele
Grandmother
Reda Kateb
Le chauffeur
Landyn Stewart
Franky
Ryan Gosling
Director
Ryan Gosling
Screenwriter
David Lancaster
Producer
Michel Litvak
Producer
Marc Platt
Producer
Adam Siegel
Producer
Jeffrey Stott
Executive Producer
Gary Michael Walters
Executive Producer
Noaz Deshe
Executive Producer
Benoît Debie
Cinematographer
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News & Interviews for Lost River

Critics Consensus: The Longest Ride Is a Bumpy Journey
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Critic Reviews for Lost River

All Critics (73) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (50)

View All Critic Reviews (73)

Audience Reviews for Lost River

  • May 28, 2016
    A shot and a miss as Ryan Gosling attempts to create a cult classic. The problem is the villains never seem villainous enough so when the final confrontation happens, it all seems anti climatic. Some high points here and there, but mostly you wait for something to happen.
    Anthony V Super Reviewer
  • May 28, 2015
    Gosling creates an ominous atmosphere with a hypnotizing cinematography and a great score, but this incredibly pretentious and self-indulgent salad of influences - Lynch, Bava, Argento, Refn and so on - has a terrible sense of lack of purpose, with apparently nothing to say.
    Carlos M Super Reviewer
  • Apr 29, 2015
    Despite good looks inspired by Lynch and Refn, Lost River just doesn't have a firm grip and is overly indulgent with its ridiculous dialogues and lousy script. A mix between a dreamlike narrative and a fairly tale, Lost River mostly doesn't work because it's just trying too hard. Way too hard. There could be something interesting here but it's just too pretentious to be anything else.
    Francisco G Super Reviewer
  • Apr 17, 2015
    In "Lost River," Billie(Christina Hendricks) is told by Dave(Ben Mendelsohn), her bank manager, that she is in danger of losing her home, like so many around her. While there seems little chance for her to be able to come up with all the money she owes on her own, Dave does know of a place that is hiring. Meanwhile, Billie's teenage son, Bones(Iain De Caestecker), earns money by stripping wiring from abandoned properties all around town, earning the ire of Bully(Matt Smith). As a director with his first feature "Lost River," Ryan Gosling shows a remarkable eye for memorable imagery, creating a post-apocalyptic fantasia out of the urban ruins of Detroit. Sadly, his writing is not on the same high level, with random story elements floating around in purely Lynchian fashion. That's with performances to match, with Saoirse Ronan and Ben Mendelsohn(who also sings and dances) faring best.
    Walter M Super Reviewer
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