Release Date: 9/16/2011
Drive, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson) and loosely based on the book by James Sallis, is an arthouse action thriller that follows a man who is a stunt driver by day and getaway driver by night. Genius isn’t a word I like to throw around often, but this film shows signs of just that. Winding Refn, winner of the Cannes best director award, has masterfully crafted a stylistic and visceral movie experience. He vividly showcases the streets of Los Angeles with a strange yet fascinating lead character in a gallant performance by Ryan Gosling. The film combines well designed action mixed with some intensified, Tarantino-esque violence, to make for the most entertaining and engaging film of the year and the highlight of the wiseguys’ trip to the Toronto International Film Festival.
A Hollywood stunt driver, played by Ryan Gosling, who moonlights as a wheelman for his boss Shannon, played by Bryan Cranston, gets involved with Irene, played by Carey Mulligan, a married woman who lives with her son across the hall. In the meantime Driver and Shannon make a deal with a gangster Bernie Rose, played by Albert Brooks, who invest in a car that they plan to race. Everything is going fine until Irene’s husband is released from prison. Driver is then forced to help him with a heist which ends up going terribly wrong and ruins everyone’s plans. This puts Driver and all the people around him in extreme danger.
Ryan Gosling‘s character Driver can be described as a less evil version of Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh combined with the bravado of Steve McQueen’s Bullitt. He is soft spoken and has sparse dialogue, but who you can sense has a demeanor of boiling rage hidden deep down in his dark soul. A character who is this mysterious and who we don’t get much information about just makes you want to know more. It’s the best kind of character and makes you that much more invested in his journey. Gosling, who was snubbed last year for his brilliant work in Blue Valentine, fully surpasses any of his performances of the past and very much in the same scope as Leonardo DiCaprio in The Departed, breaks out into A-list super stardom, with his most well-rounded acting display of his career. His facial expressions and mannerisms tell the story and in some scenes where there are long pauses, he communicates his emotions by a slight smirk or a deep stare. Oscar worthy, who knows? Wiseguy award worthy, absolutely. Albert Brooks also puts in a phenomenal supporting performance as Bernie Rose. He has some B movie one-liners that make for some wonderful comedic moments of the film. He also takes part in some of the violence and is scary good as the knife wielding old school gangster. It’s unlike any role that Brooks has ever had and it was probably the coolest casting decision since Jack Nicholson graced us with his presence as Frank Costello. Watch out for Bernie the fork.
“For the rest of your life you’re going to be looking over your shoulder”
Bryan Cranston, whose talent has been put to waste in the past two movies I have seen him in, is fantastic in a few key scenes here. He is the limpy mechanic who dreams of a better life, and who really is the only person Driver cares for until he meets Irene. Cranston is having a hell of a late career and continues to be one of the most highly sought after actors working in the business today. Ron Perlman and his huge jaw also makes an appearance as a Jewish gangster Nino and is decent in his limited screen time. Carey Mulligan is the other noteworthy performance who has great chemistry with Gosling without saying a whole lot and who has a sweet face that makes you not want to take your eyes off her.
From the suspenseful opening getaway scene, to the 80’s style pop music, to the realistically vicious violence, Nicolas Winding Refn chars his visual method into his viewer’s skulls. This is a director who is an artist and Drive is most definitely an arthouse film, but unlike most artsy films, this one combines mainstream action with its unique approach, while still having the story ultimately fueled by love. The shot choices are interesting which keeps it innovative, and the pacing is just right for the tone of the film. The techno pop tunes by Kavinsky, College and the rock-solid score by Cliff Martinez give the film a hypnotic soundtrack. Drive is as close to perfection as you can get and I really have nothing negative to say about it. Could Winding Refn be the next Tarantino or even the next Scorsese? I could see that. I don’t want to claim it’s a masterpiece because I don’t think the director has reached his potential quite yet. He definitely makes a name for himself with this film and should continue to express his art form in the years to come.
Drive is a magnificent accomplishment for Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn. It’s a film lover’s wet dream that splatters itself all over the screen. Get yourself to theaters tomorrow to check it out, I can’t express enough how much I think you will enjoy the experience. It’s a head stomping good time.
I don’t sit in while you’re running it down, I don’t carry a gun. I DRIVE.
STAMP IT, IT’S MADE!
IMDB: 8.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
Movie Wiseguys: 9.5/10
