Ryan Gosling's directorial debut Lost River will not receive a full theatrical release after a slew of terrible reviews. Fans of Gosling, or independent cinema, will be able to see the film on a limited release in New York and Los Angeles despite early reports that the film will be canned completed.

Ryan GoslingRyan Gosling's directorial debut Lost River was panned by critics

Lost River stars Christina Hendricks, Eva Mendes, Matt Smith, Saoirse Ronan and Ian De Caestecker and centers on a single mother swept into the fantasy underworld while her teenage son discovers a secret road leading to an underwater town. 

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"These days models turn designer, footballers become managers - and actors direct. Why not? Lost River, Ryan Gosling's directorial debut, is why not," said David Sexton of This Is London.

"It's an oneiric hymn to destruction, an Armageddon anthem - a movie to see, if at all, under the influence," said Richard Corliss of TIME magazine.

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"A gruesome fairy tale of evil banks and sunken dreams, Lost River is a fantastically awful misfire from actor turned writer/director Ryan Gosling," said Fiona Williams of sbs.com.au.

"The film is ultimately kind of juvenile and dumb, and there are more moments where you'll roll your eyes rather than inwardly applauding," wrote Oliver Lyttelton of The Playlist.

Warner Bros acquired the U.S rights to Lost River - then called How To Catch a Monster - at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. The film was shot in Detroit.

Producers on the movie are Marc Platt, Gosling, Adam Siegel, Michael Litvak and David Lancaster. 

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