We’ve seen plenty of “mothers from hell” on the screen before, but we haven’t seen one come along quite like the one Kristin Scott Thomas plays in ONLY GOD FORGIVES in quite a while. As Victoria, the nasty matriarch of a criminal enterprise, Thomas takes great big bites out of the scenery in a performance that is remarkably believable even while it’s over-the-top. The character is evil as can be, and the bond she shares with her son (Ryan Gosling) is so twisted it makes the relationship between Norman Bates and his mother look normal by comparison.
Of course, Thomas is an absolutely lovely woman in real life; charming, polite and very British – in stark contrast to Victoria’s mean-spirited witch. I was very lucky to be able to spend a few minutes with the actress to talk about this deliciously vile creation of hers.
You’ve most likely never seen the face of Vithya Pansringarm before, but after ONLY GOD FORGIVES, you’re not likely to forget it. Playing a police officer in Thailand with a very god-like code of justice, Pansringarm can be seen as either a frightening villain or the movie’s lone hero. The surreal ambiguity of ONLY GOD FORGIVES leaves the interpretation up to you.
Sitting with Mr. Pansringarm, however, I found the man to be nothing like the eerily stoic character he plays. Gentle, soft-spoken and humbled by all the attention he’s suddenly getting, Pansringarm is a true delight to talk to. I had to start off by asking him what it’s like playing God, of course…
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