My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Film Review by Ross McIndoe | 06 Apr 2015
Film title: My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Director: Liv Corfixen
Starring: Nicolas Winding Refn, Liv Corfixen
Release date: 2 Mar

There is an argument to be made that Heart of Darkness, which follows the turbulent production of Francis Ford Coppola's revered Apocalypse Now, is in fact superior to the film it's documenting. For followers of this line of thought, it's all about the story behind the story being told.

Many will squirm at comparing Nicolas Winding Refn to Coppola – while Refn divides opinion more sharply than almost any other working director, even his most zealous fans would probably shirk from placing Drive in the same category as The Godfather – but here we see him at a very similar point in his career. Coming off a critical and commercial success (Drive), he heads to an exotic locale to try and capture his nightmarish vision (Only God Forgives) on film, stretching his budget and his nerves to breaking point day after day.

As both a filmmaker and Refn's wife, director Liv Corfixen offers a unique angle on to their life together. She stays conspicuously absent throughout, hiding behind the lens as Refn oscillates wildly between moods, quietly expressing the challenges of life as an artist in the shadow of another.


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