Released in 2017, Song to Song is a mesmerizing romantic drama directed by Terrence Malick, a filmmaker known for his poetic, almost ethereal approach to storytelling. The film, set against the backdrop of the vibrant Austin, Texas, music scene, takes viewers on an emotional journey through love, lust, betrayal, and ambition. Malick’s signature non-linear narrative style and stunning visual language are front and center in this film, creating a world that feels both grounded and dreamlike. The plot follows the lives of several characters as they navigate the complexities of their relationships and ambitions. The core of the story revolves around two couples — BV (Ryan Gosling) and Faye (Rooney Mara), and Cook (Michael Fassbender) and Rhonda (Natalie Portman) — whose lives intersect in various ways.
Malick’s approach in Song to Song is, as always, unconventional. Rather than a structured plot, the film is more of an impressionistic experience, relying on emotions, images, and fragmented memories to convey its narrative. The result is a film that is less about what happens and more about how it feels, pulling the audience into the inner lives of its characters. The narrative unfolds like a musical composition, where moments of joy, pain, love, and longing are juxtaposed in a swirling, nonlinear pattern. This storytelling style, while challenging for some viewers, amplifies the emotional depth of the film, allowing the characters’ internal struggles to take center stage.
Ryan Gosling’s Role: The Struggling Musician, BV
Ryan Gosling, known for his ability to disappear into roles with a quiet intensity, takes on the character of BV, a struggling musician trying to find his way in a world that is as cutthroat as it is seductive. BV’s relationship with Faye, played by Rooney Mara, forms the emotional core of the film. They are both drawn to each other, but their relationship is marked by fragility and confusion. BV is caught between his love for Faye and the demands of his career, as well as the toxic influence of the music producer, Cook, played by Michael Fassbender.
In Song to Song, BV’s journey is less about achieving success and more about navigating the emotional landscape that surrounds him. As a musician, he is depicted as talented but unsure, an artist who is pulled in different directions by ambition, love, and betrayal. His relationship with Faye is central to his struggle. They share a deep connection, but it is tainted by Faye’s involvement with Cook. This love triangle is a major source of tension in the film, with each character seeking something elusive — validation, power, love — but finding themselves unable to grasp it fully.
Gosling portrays BV with a quiet melancholy. He is a man who feels deeply but struggles to express those emotions. This inner turmoil is a hallmark of many of Gosling’s roles, where much of the performance happens in the spaces between words, in the glances, the hesitations, and the moments of silence. BV is searching for meaning in both his art and his relationships, but that search is fraught with pain and confusion. Gosling’s understated performance highlights BV’s vulnerability, making him a sympathetic figure even when his actions are ambiguous.
Themes of Love and Betrayal
At its core, Song to Song is a film about love and betrayal. These themes are explored not only through the romantic entanglements of the characters but also through their ambitions and desires. For BV, love is something he craves, but it is also something that slips through his fingers. His relationship with Faye is intense and passionate, but it is also built on lies and betrayal. Faye’s affair with Cook, which she hides from BV, becomes a central point of conflict. The love between BV and Faye is real, but it is fragile, constantly undermined by the characters’ own insecurities and the temptations that surround them.
Betrayal in Song to Song is not just personal; it is also professional. The music industry, depicted as a world of excess and exploitation, serves as a metaphor for the way the characters betray not only each other but also themselves. Cook, as a successful but morally bankrupt music producer, embodies the corrupting influence of power and ambition. His manipulations of BV and Faye are both professional and personal, and his presence looms large over the film. For BV, the challenge is not just to succeed in the music industry but to retain his sense of self in the face of Cook’s influence.
Gosling’s BV navigates these themes of love and betrayal with a quiet resignation. He is not blind to what is happening around him, but he is unsure of how to stop it. His love for Faye is genuine, but it is also marked by mistrust and uncertainty. This emotional complexity is where Gosling excels as an actor. He conveys BV’s pain not through grand gestures but through subtle, often unspoken moments of vulnerability.
Malick’s Direction Style and Its Influence on Gosling’s Performance
Terrence Malick’s style of filmmaking is unlike that of any other director, and in Song to Song, his poetic and visual approach to storytelling is on full display. Malick’s films are known for their lack of traditional structure, favoring a stream-of-consciousness style that reflects the internal experiences of the characters. This approach can be disorienting for viewers who are accustomed to more conventional narratives, but it also creates a space for actors like Ryan Gosling to explore their characters in a more intuitive, organic way.
In Song to Song, Malick employs his signature techniques — sweeping, handheld camera work, natural lighting, and a focus on landscapes as much as on the characters themselves. The film feels almost like a series of vignettes, with scenes flowing into one another without clear transitions. This visual style mirrors the emotional chaos of the characters, who are often lost in their own thoughts and desires.
For Gosling, working with Malick meant abandoning traditional methods of acting. Malick is known for giving his actors minimal direction, often encouraging them to improvise and find the emotional truth of the scene in the moment. This kind of direction requires actors to be deeply present, and Gosling rises to the challenge. His portrayal of BV feels natural, almost as if we are witnessing the character’s thoughts and emotions in real time. The lack of a structured script allows Gosling to explore BV’s inner life in a way that feels raw and unfiltered.
Malick’s use of music in the film also plays a crucial role in shaping the performances. The soundtrack, which features a mix of contemporary and classical pieces, underscores the emotional tone of the film, often replacing dialogue as the primary means of expression. For a character like BV, who is a musician, this connection between music and emotion is particularly significant. Gosling’s performance is deeply intertwined with the music, and it helps to convey the character’s longing and heartbreak in a way that words cannot.
Performance and Reception
Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of BV was met with mixed reactions from critics and audiences alike. On one hand, Gosling’s performance was praised for its subtlety and emotional depth. His ability to convey BV’s internal struggles without relying on heavy dialogue is a testament to his skill as an actor. However, some viewers found the film’s fragmented narrative and lack of traditional structure difficult to engage with, which affected their perception of the performances.
For those who appreciate Malick’s style, Gosling’s performance is a highlight of the film. He brings a quiet intensity to the role, capturing the essence of a man who is torn between his love for Faye and his desire to succeed in a world that seems determined to destroy him. Gosling’s BV is not a hero in the traditional sense; he is flawed, vulnerable, and often unsure of himself. But it is these very qualities that make the character so compelling.
Critics were divided on the film as a whole, with some praising Malick’s visionary approach and others lamenting the lack of coherence in the story. Gosling’s performance, however, was generally well-received, with many noting that he was able to bring a sense of humanity to a film that often felt more like an art piece than a traditional narrative. His portrayal of BV is a study in restraint, with much of the character’s emotional journey happening beneath the surface.
In the end, Song to Song is a film that defies easy categorization. It is part love story, part meditation on art and ambition, and part visual poem. Ryan Gosling’s performance as BV anchors the film, providing a sense of emotional continuity amidst the swirling, fragmented narrative. For those willing to embrace Malick’s unique style, Song to Song offers a deeply moving exploration of love, loss, and the search for meaning in an often chaotic world.
