Good Time (*****)

At a brisk 1.5 hour runtime, GOOD TIME is a visceral adrenaline rush of fear, suspense, paranoia, and corruption. The pace is swift, and indeed it feels as though any minute our heroes (and the audience) might become too overwhelmed and drown in the chaos of it all. This is a great movie, one that slipped by me in the crammed rush of Fall releases. How pleased I am to have seen it, and how restorative such a film is for my ever-growing doubt that good movies are increasingly hard to come by.

Directors Benny Safdie (a costar) and Josh Safdie tell a simple story in seemingly real time. We meet two brothers, Connie (Robert Pattinson, who is brilliant) and Nick (Safdie), who is mentally challenged. The film opens with a remarkable scene in which Nick meets with a therapist to discuss his cognition. Nick isn't necessarily present, and we sense his oafish personality and oblivious nature to anything related to subtlety. This is important to know when he meets with his brother, a low-life criminal who robs banks $65,000 at a time and brings his brother along to learn the ropes. Where Nick is passive, Connie is drive, always thinking two steps ahead and always with his brother's interest in mind (even if those interests involve criminality).

The story here begins with that bank robbery and concludes in a mesmerizing descent through the darkest parts of New York City and all the filth that comes with it. The plot is so specifically crafted that describing it doesn't really add to any sort of 'critique.' Just know that each scene is there with a purpose, and the writers throw so many curve balls that the story becomes a genuinely thrilling one to behold. What we know is that Nick gets arrested and Connie wants to bail him out. The search for $10,000 leads us from a hospital shuttle to a theme park and the depths of an apartment high rise. There is so much to see, to take in, and I was continually fascinated by Pattinson as our hero, a great actor in a role of desperation and tact.

The film is crafted with a certain flair for the retro styles of the 1980's. Neon lights litter the screen with candy color, and the score is synth inspired broodingness (composed by Oneohtrix Point Never). I would assume the film is set in modern day. What a clever and inventive way to tell this story. Our directing brothers, the Safdies, clearly draw inspiration from the works of some great filmmakers, and their craft is undeniable. This is a film that aims high and misses not a single mark along the way. On the surface level we have a standard thriller of desperate men, but just below the surface is another story of cunning and resourcefulness. Connie is by no means a good man according to the law, but his entire motivation in this film is that of selflessness, despite how flawed and warped his intentions are.

The film works for its craft - razor tight edits, a compelling score, a distinct visual language, and an earthy feel that immerses us in the world. We have some of the year's best performances in Robert Pattinson and Benny Safdie, each playing the opposite side of the same coin. Safdie in particular is a complete transformation from what we see in interviews to this instantly recognizable supporting character. It's a story of love and drive despite the moralities of all involved being absent. I can't think of a more satisfying thriller this year.