“All Good Things” isn’t all good. The star performances are the best things in this fact-based murder mystery set among the super-rich. In its resonance and effectiveness, however, the low-budget indie project seems better suited to the Lifetime or A&E channels than to the big screen. Barely disguised with invented names, it dramatizes the sensational case of Robert Durst, scion of one of New York City’s largest real estate development dynasties. Since the 1970s, he has been implicated in the disappearance and/or killings of three people. Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst and Frank Langella are accomplished feature film principals. You can understand why they may have wanted to challenge themselves with this material. Each of the three characters they get to play has complexity and is grounded in the reality of a still-infamous scandal. You’d rarely find such tricky roles in a major Hollywood studio picture.
Plus, its director brings an interesting background. Though “All Good Things” is his first fictional piece, Academy Award-nominated documentarian Andrew Jarecki created strong mood in his creepy, thorough family expose “Capturing the Friedmans.”
Unfortunately, Jarecki works from a script here. Credited to Marcus Hinchey and Marc Smerling and told through an awkward voice-over narration, the screenplay is the weak link. The story unfolds without cohesive arc, momentum or meaning. It’s just a succession of “… and then this happened … and then this happened … and then … and then.” The dialogue and action never make understandable why an initially harmless neurotic might go so suddenly, so completely and so violently off the rails.
| IF YOU GO |
| ‘All Good Things’ |
| » Rating: 2 out of 5 stars |
| » Stars: Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Frank Langella |
| » Director: Andrew Jarecki |
| » Rated: R for drug use, violence, language and some sexuality |
| » Running time: 101 minutes |
But even if the actions of the characters often seem inexplicable, the cast works hard to keep the proceedings engaging.
Gosling brings his natural quirkiness to the role of David Marks (presumably Durst), a young man who tries but fails to overcome a childhood trauma and the domineering father (Langella) who forces him into the family business. After a happy courtship, David’s relationship with his young wife Katie (Dunst) deteriorates. In a world of vacation homes, drugs and jaded jet-setters — including David’s presumed friend and co-conspirator (Lily Rabe) — Katie disappears. Years later when the case reopens, a body count begins to mount.
Seasoned character actor Philip Baker Hall and “SNL’s” Kristen Wiig provide solid support. But “Things” seems most suited for either particular fans of the lead actors or at-home movie renters with a special interest in the real-life scenario.
