Ryan Gosling’s character does exactly what the film title says: “I drive.”
Auto mechanic/stuntman by day and getaway driver by night, Gosling lives behind the wheel. The audience never learns his character’s name because any word besides “driver” is irrelevant to his existence—at least for the first half of the film.
Drive, the coherent fusion of an action film and a thriller, was adapted from James Sallis’ novel of the same title. The film’s director, Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson), won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival 2011.
From the beginning of Drive, it becomes clear that Gosling fits his character flawlessly and is going to provide viewers with another inspiring performance. The “driver” is just as clean-cut and subtly brilliant as the film’s cinematography.
The first part of the film revolves around Gosling getting to know his beautifully innocent neighbor Irene, played by Carey Mulligan (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps). The driver spends time with Irene while her husband is in jail and also gets to know her son Benicio, played by Kaden Leos.
In a memorable scene, Benicio and the driver are watching cartoons on the couch, and Benicio explains that it’s always safe to assume that the cartoon shark is the bad guy. “There are no good sharks?” the driver asks.
When Irene’s husband is released from jail, the film takes a violent turn and provides a whole new, and uncomfortably bloody, experience for the audience. The driver finds himself tangled up in a heist, and he transforms from a part-time shark with a cool demeanor into a ruthless killer—all for the protection of his angelic neighbor.
Drive has A+ acting and cinematography but is knocked a few pegs down by unnecessary violence in the second half of the film. Overall: A-
You might hear one comparing this to a Tarantino film, but take a second and leave all worries at the door, this is an absorbing and tremendously unique piece of cinema from Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn. The reason it works so exquisitely well is because the film grabs hold of you and takes you inside this often dark and dream-like LA setting. So, when the end of the film hits, you feel apart of this film, and it’s there to stay.
This film also offers a Ryan Gosling like you’ve never seen him, speaking only when necessary, with tension and fury in his eyes. He’s silent, caring, and ridiculously tough. Every line is delivered perfectly and every gesture is natural.
I saw this at the LA Film Festival on a mammoth screen with booming speakers. The music only makes this film more unique. It is catchy and synchronized perfectly with the TRULY beautiful cinematography.
This film is the BEST of its genre, but really. I honestly cannot compare it to any other film, for it is truly that different. “Drive” is already the best of the year, because I’m POSITIVE no other film will haunt and invade me quite like this film has. This is not just a classic for its genre, but a beautiful and bold classic in general.
Have a lovely day
Alexa
Good Movie.