A 2010 American mystery crime romantic drama directed by Andrew Jarecki that follows the fictionalized account of Robert Durst (Ryan Gosling), the son of a tycoon (Frank Langella), being suspected in his wife's (Kirsten Dunst) disapperance.
The movie also stars Lily Rabe, Philip Baker Hall, Michael Esper, Diane Venora, Nick Offerman, Kristen Wiig, among others.
Most notably, it got the attention of the actual Robert Durst, who contacted Jarecki to make a documentary about him. That documentary, The Jinx, would premiere in 2015, and end up leading to Durst’s arrest.
It was released on December 3, 2010.
Tropes for the film:
- As Herself: Journalist Julie Moran makes an appearance.
- Freudian Excuse: The film gives Durst one in his overbearing father who forces him into the family business and stops him from escaping to a happier life.
- Happier Home Movie: The opening credits are underlaid with home video footage depicting David Marks' happy childhood.
- Historical Beauty Update: The real Durst was never anywhere near as devastatingly handsome as Ryan Gosling.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: The movie is a fictionalization of the story of the Durst case in which every name was changed except for Pat Moynihan's.
- Tagline: "'The Perfect Love Story', Until it Became The Perfect Crime".
