When Robert Pattinson was recently announced as a frontrunner to be the new Batman in DC’s movie roster, people scoured his resume for something other than “Twilight” and many pointed to 2017’s “Good Time” as a prime example of his acting ability. Pattinson (also known as Cedric Diggory in “Harry Potter”) is indeed good in it, calling to mind Jared Leto and Jake Gyllenhaal as the bearded and greasy-haired Connie, who gets himself further and further into trouble with the law over the course of an insane night on the dark backstreets in New York City.
Incongruous title
The incongruously titled “Good Time” is also a strong calling card for directors Benny and Josh Safdie. The former also plays Nick, the mentally challenged brother of Connie. The film begins with a close-up of Nick’s face – in a resting state of confused anger – and there’s a slight “Of Mice and Men” vibe in the early going as we understand Connie is doing all these desperate things to help his brother.
Written Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein, the movie ratchets up at about the midway point as new character Ray (Buddy Duress) enters the picture via a surprise revelation that had me sitting up and saying “Nice twist!” Ray is a street-level opportunist like Connie, and since he’s still on the last legs of a drug trip, he spills out a story that’s like a darker version of those spewed forth by Michael Pena’s Luis in the “Ant-Man” films. Ray has somehow had an even crazier past 24 hours than Connie. And Connie started his day by robbing a bank.
“Good Time” (2017)
Directors: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie
Writers: Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie
Stars: Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, Jennifer Jason Leigh
“Good Time’s” plot then gets particularly crazy, and although we get further from the brotherly relationship that starts the movie, it’s generally a good thing — and remarkably, the events barely stay within the realm of the plausible. It’s morbidly fascinating to see how random innocent people get roped into Connie’s (and then Ray’s) desperate impromptu schemes. I also admire the film’s style choices, including Daniel Lopatin’s 1980s synthesizer score that pairs nicely with Sean Price Williams’ dark or neon-lit visuals.
Everyone uses everyone
Ultimately, the film gives us character sketches more so than full arcs. Jennifer Jason Leigh’s Corey, the girlfriend of Connie, is among them. We see how she likes having an attractive younger boyfriend, but she’s uncomfortable being used by him when he desperately needs shelter or money. Taliah Webster’s Crystal also has an engrossing turn, forcing a viewer to grapple with a young teen being roped into this plot. We also get a brief peek into street-level drug trade via Ray.
Overall, “Good Time” is a portrayal of a crime culture where everyone uses everyone else – including their own family members and people they claim to love — to the degree to which they can get away with it. These people are street smart but have no pathway available to them where they could or would need to use other kinds of intelligence, which they probably don’t possess anyway.
For better or worse, there’s no grand or surprising statement here. “Good Time” is, well, a good time on the first viewing, with a plot structure where we can’t possibly predict what’s going to happen next, especially after the mid-film twist – and Pattinson indeed proves himself capable of handling a tentpole role like Batman.