All Good Things [Blu-ray]

I'm David Marks.David Marks (Ryan Gosling), is one very disturbed man. After being left alone by his father, Sanford Marks (Frank Langella) as a seven-year-old child, he witnessed his mother's violent suicide. This had furthered his life forever to become off track from what is expected of him. He must possess a hardened strength of character always demanded from his overly controlling father. All of his life, things are forced on David without exception. He is the eldest and will be required to carry on the family's crooked and high-grossing real estate business from a certain point onward. He is being groomed surrounding the business from the outset. David does not argue with his father as concerning him there is no gauntlet to throw down while he follows orders in an almost robotic fashion. He is always mercilessly being put down as a weakling, a completely shameful person in front of others or set up for ridicule around his father and his company.Director Andrew Jarecki introduces us to the fictitious character David Marks who is based on the real-life case of Robert Durst. An actually chilling case it is with the information that has been discovered since this movie's release... David is on the way to a company's high society, black-tie function. He is all dressed in a tuxedo for the party, after returning from a call for his father when he gets rerouted to go fix a leak in an apartment which their family business owns because his father is just cruel enough to have David do it in lieu of a contracted plumber. This is when he is much younger, quite a lot younger and rebelling just a bit although David cannot totally. He walks into the apartment of his future bride Katie (Kirsten Dunst). Sanford does not approve of their relationship or subsequent marriage as she is not, "One of our people". She dreams of going to medical school and becoming a doctor. Also, wishes to have children with David after they are married and open a health food store in Vermont. Of which they do and are blissfully happy then without the pressures of David's father. Sanford soon shatters their happiness and coerces them to move into a big-money apartment that they really do not want. It does not fit in their 'simple life' plan.They are still in the first stages of their love when Katie announces her pregnancy. Unfortunately, they did not discuss this issue before marriage. Katie is shocked when David finally tells her he neither wanted her pregnant now nor wants to have children in the future to Katie's complete devastation. A full reason for this rationale is never offered. The disjointed and macabre way of thinking that David suffers really starts to become more realistic here. Consequently, Katie must handle the pregnancy concerns by herself and she is never the same after this trauma, plus having to handle it all alone only complicated the matter. In fact, nothing is ever the same and the plot of the movie begins to go off in different directions and on different paths.I don't want to add in any spoilers to the movie so I'll try to end this part rather vaguely. It is at this point where Katie disappears. David apparently suffers some type of mental breakdown or calculated state of rage that throws his life out of control. The writers make both seem plausible through the narration that continues throughout the movie from the outset. David is talking while on the stand during his trial in 2003 from the beginning of the film right on through to its ending. After the aforementioned happenings occur, the second part of the movie plays out like the bizarre second half of a two-part stage play. This is a completely engrossing movie, extremely psychological and so well acted. When the film ended I felt like I was sort of in shock for what had happened here with Katie. Also very suspicious of this terribly damaged man. Is he suffering because of his father's cruelty and over his wife's disappearance? It is so difficult to discern where his mind and thoughts are at. As I looked at him, his look frightened me and so did his demeanor. If you enjoy frightening mysteries and surreal crime dramas, this movie may appeal to you. I remember running this through my mind after viewing this for such a long time. Andrew Jarecki had me in the palm of his hand with this movie especially because it is based on a true story that is completely unimaginable*A perfect companion piece to this movie or by itself also is the six-part T.V. Miniseries of 2015 called, "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst" with a runtime of four hours and thirty-nine minutes. The series covers the content occurring in the film."All Good Things". Both works are done by Andrew Jarecki... "The Jinx" is dramatized, includes interviews with Robert Durst and completely factual along with being bone-chilling. If you get the chance, don't miss it.

Kiersten Dunst is so like Gwenith Paltrow in some many ways from her mannerisims to her voice to her looks, though Kiersten is prettier. Movie was good but hate how justice was not served...

I don't know about the jinx or any of that as it didn't interest me so I never followed the story. So, strictly from a movie aspect= it was good. Worth a watch. The only thing was the main character was so strange and inexplicably so, it was kind of nonsensical. I mean, the way he reacted to things wasn't how a normal person would, and than when prodded to explain why he acted these ways= he never did. Well, that a recipe for someone having no friends. How would ha even get the girl? Even a naive person wouldn't deal with erratic behavior like that for 10 years. I know people stay in abusive relationships- I was in one for 10 years- but his abuse didn't make sense of follow any kind of formula. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a girl who would've wanted to stay with him. Anywho, I wouldn't buy it but worth a spin.

This pains me, since there is something within this film that is so amazing I feel it needs to be regarded as such, but three stars, while not awful, is certainly telling to the quality of this film as a whole.Does that make sense?First, the movie. The film follows the true story (as much can be true in a film `inspired' by real events) of David Marks, a troubled young man looking for ways to rebel against a family that controls his every move (subconsciously, which is the best way). When David meets and falls for Katie, it seems as though his life may start to iron out. He walks away from his father `real estate' clutches and ventures off into a life all his own with Katie, but darkness erodes all happiness when David allows his father's manipulations to reel him back to New York, back into life in the Marks' family. All tumbles downhill, rather rapidly, when familial tendencies begin to separate David and Katie until, one day, Katie disappears.For me, it is this point of the film where things start to just derail. I understand the whole `inspired by real events' angle, and so I encourage even the bizarre, but the `made for TV' way in which the films later scenes are shot take away from the terror one should feel and actually gives this film a `Lifetime' movie feeling.The film does a 180, from decently engrossing thriller to complete disaster.So, this leaves one thing to be discussed...the very reason for which the films first half is so stellar; Kirsten Dunst. I recently wrote an entry for my blog about the amazingness that was Kirsten Dunst in this film, and so I'm just going to quote that here (slightly doctored to reflect this review and not the article I initially wrote)."Then we have Kirsten Dunst, who just marvels with all sorts of layered emotional relevance in `All Good Things'. Talk about a brilliant performance in a really bad film. Kirsten plays Katie Marks, a real person (come on Oscar, why aren't you biting) who disappeared, `allegedly' at the hands of her deranged husband. The one thing that Dunst's character, and performance, has (in spades) is serious emotional collapse. One blogger mentioned that you could see Kirsten visibly age as she uncovers the truth about her husband. I totally concur with this explanation of her devastatingly real performance. As she slowly uncovers realities surrounding the family she's married into, you can see a hollowness erode her beautiful features. She remains human despite the dramatic overtones (she never resorts to Hollywood's overtly obvious understanding of melodramatic `emoting') and delivers a quietly natural performance. When she does unleash her suffering, it is with haunting desperation. She completely collapses within her character's knowledge. It's just a shame the film collapses the moment she leaves it."Yeah, that pretty much sums it all up. She acts circles around the rest of the cast, including Ryan Gosling, who suffers from poor character development (the script seems to skeletal when all is said and done) and really bad makeup. I wish I could say skip the film, but you need to at least watch the films first half. The moment Dunst leaves the scene though, you can take your exit as well. The film just can't recover from such a tragic loss.

Beautiful acting by Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst. A sympathetic treatment of a very unusual man, David Marks who in real life was Robert Durst. A brilliant psychological thriller based on a true story

Even though this is based on true events and does have to stay true to them, I thought it was a weak portrayal, it’s a good film on its own though and is worth a watch

Based on a true life 'murder', this was very interesting and as far fetched as only true life can be. Ryan Gosling's performance as the husband was very disturbing.Great chemistry between the two leads. Well worth a look.

A true life story. Very interesting and well worth watching.

Gave me nausea, and for all the wrong reasons.