Surprising film delivers in an unexpected way
Published on Tue, Jan 24, 2012 by Bob ConnallyRead More Arts & Entertainment
Drive
(R, Avail. 1/31)
When you hear "Drive" is about a professional stunt driver/getaway man for hire, you expect fast cuts, explosions, puns, outrageous car chases, and a general lack of mental or emotional engagement. That sort of thing can be fun from time to time, but that isn't "Drive." This aims to be something more. Something that surprises and engages you in ways you hadn't expected. Does it succeed? Most definitely.
The stunt driver in question (Ryan Gosling) is a soft spoken young man blessed with lightning fast reflexes, intelligence, and an ability to keep cool under pressure that seems to suggest there's no daredevil in him, despite his occupations. The closest thing he has to a friend is his boss Shannon (Bryan Cranston) and, until a chance encounter at the grocery store, he barely knows the young woman living across the hall in his apartment, Irene (Carey Mulligan), a loving mother to Benicio (newcomer Kaden Leos).
Driver (as he is called in the credits) becomes attached to Irene and Benicio, but a complication stands in the way.
Meanwhile, Shannon and his old friend Bernie (Albert Brooks) plan to start a racing team and they have only one man in mind to drive. Driver is willing but racetrack glory is insignificant to him. Only one thing in his life truly matters.
Based on a novel by James Sallis, "Drive" is written by Hossein Amini and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Perhaps it's because it was a book first, or maybe it's the combination of an Iranian screenwriter and a Danish director, but "Drive" is anything but a conventional Hollywood thriller. There's a streamlined precision to this movie that is perfectly in tune with its unnamed protagonist. We learn only what is absolutely necessary to know about each character. We never hear about Driver's childhood or why he so rarely speaks or shows so little emotion. Those things don't matter. What's important is the job at hand. That is his focus and that is what makes him so good.
Gosling's performance is superb. This isn't merely Steve McQueen-style detachment. There's a lot going on under the surface with this character, emotionally and mentally. Gosling keeps showing he's one of the best young performers of our time. Like the movie itself, Gosling keeps us guessing.
The supporting cast is terrific as well, particularly Brooks. Primarily known as the writer-director-star of the brilliant comedies "Real Life" and "Lost in America," he's the oddly perfect choice for his role. To reveal anything more than that would be to say too much.
"Drive" is not a film that can be easily categorized nor is it conventional in any sense. It's a movie that sets up expectations and makes us think that we know what's to come. It then revels in showing us how wrong we were.
Throughout its 100 minute running time, "Drive" is an endlessly exciting film. Not because it's "an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride," but because it's not. It's the anticipation of danger and the uncertainty of what we will experience next. Even the questionable choices by the filmmakers (and there are a few) aren't necessarily wrong, and even if they feel wrong, they're just as fascinating as anything else in the film. They make us think and stir an emotional reaction.
For some, "Drive" will be too weird. For others it won't be the action-packed car movie they were hoping for. This is a film for people who are excited by imaginative filmmaking, impeccable storytelling, and fascinating characters. If that's you then "Drive" is unmissable. 9.5/10.
(R, Avail. 1/31)
It's not often that a film, even a good one, defies expectations.
When you hear "Drive" is about a professional stunt driver/getaway man for hire, you expect fast cuts, explosions, puns, outrageous car chases, and a general lack of mental or emotional engagement. That sort of thing can be fun from time to time, but that isn't "Drive." This aims to be something more. Something that surprises and engages you in ways you hadn't expected. Does it succeed? Most definitely.
The stunt driver in question (Ryan Gosling) is a soft spoken young man blessed with lightning fast reflexes, intelligence, and an ability to keep cool under pressure that seems to suggest there's no daredevil in him, despite his occupations. The closest thing he has to a friend is his boss Shannon (Bryan Cranston) and, until a chance encounter at the grocery store, he barely knows the young woman living across the hall in his apartment, Irene (Carey Mulligan), a loving mother to Benicio (newcomer Kaden Leos).
Driver (as he is called in the credits) becomes attached to Irene and Benicio, but a complication stands in the way.
Meanwhile, Shannon and his old friend Bernie (Albert Brooks) plan to start a racing team and they have only one man in mind to drive. Driver is willing but racetrack glory is insignificant to him. Only one thing in his life truly matters.
Based on a novel by James Sallis, "Drive" is written by Hossein Amini and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Perhaps it's because it was a book first, or maybe it's the combination of an Iranian screenwriter and a Danish director, but "Drive" is anything but a conventional Hollywood thriller. There's a streamlined precision to this movie that is perfectly in tune with its unnamed protagonist. We learn only what is absolutely necessary to know about each character. We never hear about Driver's childhood or why he so rarely speaks or shows so little emotion. Those things don't matter. What's important is the job at hand. That is his focus and that is what makes him so good.
Gosling's performance is superb. This isn't merely Steve McQueen-style detachment. There's a lot going on under the surface with this character, emotionally and mentally. Gosling keeps showing he's one of the best young performers of our time. Like the movie itself, Gosling keeps us guessing.
The supporting cast is terrific as well, particularly Brooks. Primarily known as the writer-director-star of the brilliant comedies "Real Life" and "Lost in America," he's the oddly perfect choice for his role. To reveal anything more than that would be to say too much.
"Drive" is not a film that can be easily categorized nor is it conventional in any sense. It's a movie that sets up expectations and makes us think that we know what's to come. It then revels in showing us how wrong we were.
Throughout its 100 minute running time, "Drive" is an endlessly exciting film. Not because it's "an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride," but because it's not. It's the anticipation of danger and the uncertainty of what we will experience next. Even the questionable choices by the filmmakers (and there are a few) aren't necessarily wrong, and even if they feel wrong, they're just as fascinating as anything else in the film. They make us think and stir an emotional reaction.
For some, "Drive" will be too weird. For others it won't be the action-packed car movie they were hoping for. This is a film for people who are excited by imaginative filmmaking, impeccable storytelling, and fascinating characters. If that's you then "Drive" is unmissable. 9.5/10.
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