All Good Things

This is based upon the true story of Robert Durst, the son of a New York City real estate mogul whose wife went missing in the ’80s. Also, a couple of Durst’s friends were murdered under mysterious circumstances, and one case was never solved. Ryan Gosling plays David Marks (a character loosely based on Durst), who meets and marries Katie (Kirsten Dunst). They open a health-food store in the country and seem to be enjoying life when Marks’ father (Frank Langella) orders him back to the big city to work in the family business. Things go bad from there in director Andrew Jarecki’s somewhat uneven film. However, it’s tolerable due to the always-reliable work of Gosling. He doesn’t play Marks as an obvious psycho; he’s mild-mannered with occasional outbursts and a tendency to talk to himself. Dunst’s portrayal of his wife is moving and sad, while Langella makes his mark as the monstrous father. The film isn’t fully realized, but it does benefit from an exemplary cast.