With performances of real note in movies like The Ides of March, Blue Valentine and Crazy, Stupid, Love the 32-year-old Canadian star Ryan Gosling has become my favourite actor of his generation.

Fresh from his blistering work in The Place Beyond the Pines earlier this year, he’s now reunited with Nicolas Winding Refn, the Danish director of arguably his best film yet, Drive (2011).

Now 53, Kristin Scott Thomas gives one of her most unforgettable performances as Crystal, the mother of two killer sons, one of whom has been murdered himself.

“He killed a 16 year old girl (prostitute),” says brother Julian (Gosling), whose drug business is hidden behind the Thai boxing club he runs.

“I’m sure he had his reasons,” retorts Crystal, determined a) that Julian should kiss her and b) that Billy’s killer should lose his life, too.

Shot in the dark and rich with red, orange and purple hues, Only God Forgives is nothing like a free ad for Thailand’s tourism industry.

The left-field story is excessively violent, the characters don’t want you to like them and too many art house sensibilities render it a touch pretentious at times.

But if you fancy a Thai-flavoured cross between David Lynch and Chan-wook Park’s Korean movie Oldboy, expect to be drinking the atmosphere.