All Good Things

Movie: All Good Things

Cast:    Ryan Gosling (David Marks)

            Kirsten Dunst (Katie Marks)

            Frank Langella (Stanford Marks)

Genre: Drama, mystery

I saw it on: December 19, 2010

Synopsis: Based (more or less) on fact, the movie opens in the 1970’s where Stanford Marks is the imposing patriarch of the Marks family empire – which owned literally half of Times Square.  David is the older of his two sons and has not interest in joining the family business.  He falls in love with Katie.  They marry and move to Vermont to run a small store.  Stanford puts pressure on David who finally caves.  He and his wife move back to New York and he joins the company.

It turns out that the family business includes some less-than-reputable (if not illegal) sources of income.  Around this time, David starts showing another not-so-nice side of himself.  Katie is not sure what is happening to him.  Things start going downhill fast, culminating with Katie disappearing, never to be found.  The film follows what comes after Katie’s disappearance, including a re-opening of her case 20 years later.

My two cents: I was a little frustrated with this movie – I could not decide if it was trying to be a documentary, a docu-drama or just an “inspired by true events” movie.  It was also frustrating trying to figure out what was factual and what was speculation.  Regardless, this film had great performances by Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst and Frank Langella.  The movie I most identify Ryan Gosling with is “Las and the Real Girl”.  It was chilling to see Gosling with the facial expression of the sweet-natured Lars while the Jekyll side of his personality was in charge.  His coldness and lack of visible emotion makes his outbursts even more disturbing.  You really felt for poor Katie who was definitely in over her head.  She really had not chance. 

Although I think the movie could have been put together better and more coherently, I think it was well worth the time. I am just frustrated that somehow I never heard or read about any of this when it was happening.  It is considered the most notorious unsolved murder in New York history.