Drive

In this day and age of disposable $100 million films, and films working ridiculously hard on creating not much more than a strong opening weekend, many filmmakers and film audiences forget that like all forms of art, cinema has its own language. What takes five paragraphs to write in a book can be shown in five seconds of a film, and the same works in reverse. Also in this day and age, films tend to get pigeon-holed into three categories; the first two being the most immediately recognizable: The Popcorn-Munchers and The Oscar-Bait. They're easy to recognize. The third are what I refer to as The Dump films. Basically, these are films that will get a wider audience than a limited-release film, but they're generally released in the weakest parts of the year with no expectation of big box-office or great critical acclaim; months like September, most of October, January and February are loaded with Dump Films, so it was no surprise to me that a film like Nicolas Winding Refn's DRIVE was released in September. It was a film with actors rather than stars, and a film that was more of a throwback to the great psuedo-independent crime thrillers of the 1980's (such as MANHUNTER and THIEF, both of those films from Michael Mann who also helped to define TV in the 80's with MIAMI VICE and CRIME STORY, and TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. from Mann's fellow Chicagoan William Friedkin) rather than the high-octane FAST AND FURIOUS flash-over-substance film that one very disgruntled audience member thought it would be and took her outrage to unintentionally satirical heights by suing DRIVE's distributor for the cost of her ticket as well as asserting the film also had Anti-Semitic views and still intends to file a class-action suit against "false advertising". I include this anecdote mostly because I think the gall it takes to do something like this is beyond astounding, but also because I believe this woman represents most of the viewing public who saw this film. Looking at the public's reviews of this film, it's very much a love-it-or-hate-it film. Many viewers assail the film for being too slow, too boring, and even in some cases, too graphic. Critical acclaim has been nearly universal for the film. It was one of the best reviewed films of 2011 alongside films like THE ARTIST and THE MUPPETS, but not as successful as either of those films, commercially or Oscar-y. The reason being that DRIVE is not a safe film. There isn't a moment that is antiseptic or commercial. It's not meant for mass consumption, and perhaps that explains its own devisive nature as a film. But DRIVE is not afraid to put some of the onus on the audience and tell us, quietly, to expand our ideas of what a great film is and how not only can a picture be worth a thousand words, but a glance or look can be worth a thousand emotions, and the harshness of a sound can be predicated on the silence that precedes it. Without going too much into plot or character, it's important to give credit where credit is due. Ryan Gosling, the too-dreamy-for-words heartthrob of films like THE NOTEBOOK and CRAZY STUPID LOVE who is also the risk-taker of HALF-NELSON, THE BELIEVER, LARS AND THE REAL GIRL and THE IDES OF MARCH, is perfect as the nameless super-anti-hero of the piece. Every look, every glance, every gesture has purpose. The greatest acting talents are the performers who can speak volumes just by saying nothing at all, and this film is loaded with those performers. I call Gosling's character a super-anti-hero because there is something superhuman about this character. He can do just about anything he wants physically, and he can survive just about any assault, except for the emotional. And that's where Carey Mulligan comes in. Mulligan is by far one of the greatest young actors out there. She first really showed us that in AN EDUCATION, and continued to show it in NEVER LET ME GO, SHAME, and this film. She is picture-perfect innocence. You want to protect her, and you understand The Driver's urge to do so. Bryan Cranston, with the introduction of BREAKING BAD a few years ago, has been a revelatory performer. Who knew the dad on MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE would be one of TV's best serious actors? Not me. And his performance as the other half of the partnership with Gosling is small yet shining. Oscar Isaac as the doomed husband of Mulligan's character plays his ex-con with an immediacy and desperation and sense of inevitability. Ron Perlman as the small-time thug with delusions of grandeur is just pitch-perfect, proving once again that Perlman is a seriously underrated actor. Christina Hendricks is sultry, sexy and that's really all her role requires, which is sad, because I love her. However, the film, from a performance standout, belongs to Albert Brooks. We're used to Brooks playing the nebbish, awkward yet smarter-than-you character. We've seen it since MODERN ROMANCE, and through LOST IN AMERICA, BROADCAST NEWS and others. For Brooks to turn that image on its head and play the lethally efficient and pragmatically violent small-time crime boss Bernie Rose is beyond inspired casting, and the performance he turns in is as strong and chilling as seeing someone like Pacino or De Niro play a similar role. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor but not for an Oscar. In fact, infuriatingly, DRIVE was only nominated for one Academy Award: Best Sound Editing, which if you watch the film closely, it REALLY deserves, but it lost to... whatever; probably TRANSFORMERS or something. The other shining star of this film is director Nicolas Winding Refn. Being somewhat unfamiliar with his work prior to this film, I tried to watch the ultra-surreal BRONSON with Tom Hardy, and couldn't get through it from a narrative standpoint but appreciated its bravura. I haven't seen his other film, VALHALLA RISING yet, but plan to watch it very soon. It's probably more his film than any of the performers: His use of every element of the language of cinema is so deftly handled, from the sound to the picture to the editing to the performers, he achieves cinematic perfection. The film works on every level it's supposed to: Crime Thriller, Fairy-Tale Romance, Emotional Drama, Anti-Heroic Action, it does it all flawlessly. Another unsung hero of this film is Cliff Martinez, who does the Tangerine Dream-esque score for the film as another nod to those classic 80's thrillers. The simple fact of DRIVE is that this film was the purest expression of the language of cinema that came out of 2011. It never missed a moment to capitalize on that language, and it speaks it fluently and perfectly. This is, hands down, the best film of 2011.

The Driver (or “The Kid” as he’s sometimes called) has no real name, at least nothing that’s ever spoken. He is what he does, and that is drive cars. When he’s not being paid to do so as a movie stunt man, he’s paid by criminals as a driver-for-hire. He feels little attachment to others and speaks even less. Still, beneath the silent exterior there’s a hidden depth where he keeps his moral convictions and code. This kind of hero is familiar, if a bit old school. The Driver is clearly modeled after characters like Steve McQueen’s Frank Bullitt, Clint Eastwood’s the Man with no Name, Toshiro Mifune’s Yojimbo, or even Alain Delon’s Jef Costello. In this case, where his true nature is revealed comes from his associations with his neighbor Irene and her son, Benicio. Even though the title is Drive, there isn’t actually all that much driving to be seen in this movie. There are a few chase sequences, and they’re well shot with no visible use of CGI, but the bulk of the movie follows the Driver as he interacts with Irene and her son, which allows him to display a hint of his humanity, which seems to be something that hasn’t surfaced in a long time. The first reveal of the character is while he’s working. The movie even begins with him firmly explaining the rules that go along with hiring him. It reminded me a little of The Transporter, but luckily the similarities end there. While on the job, we see the way in which he drives. He’s a true professional, and is not about long and over-the-top car chases. Instead, we see him triumph over the police through his knowledge of the streets and ability to blend into his surroundings (he even drives a Chevy Impala). The characters are crucial to the flow of the story, and it’s refreshing to see their importance placed over the need to meet expectations of the typical car chase movies. The cast is excellent, featuring Ryan Gosling as the nameless stone-faced protagonist. Although Danish director Nicholas Winding Refn adds a lot of style to the film and really tries to present Gosling as a tough character to match some of the examples I compared him to, he never quite reaches those heights. The character works, but Ryan Gosling doesn’t have the same screen presence as, for example, Steve McQueen does. Maybe he’s just too young, but he lacks that look of someone who’s had a lot of bad experiences and a tough past. As Irene, Carey Mulligan is adorable and fits the part of her role (though it’s a bit difficult to imagine how she ended up married to a criminal), and Bryan Cranston also gives an understated performance as Shannon, the man who hired the Driver and repairs/modifies his cars. The real scene stealers come from the bad guys however, who run a local pizza joint in L.A. They represent a Jewish sect of a larger mob family apparently, with Albert Brooks’s character being a former action movie producer turned organized crime boss. He’s in no way meant to be humorous (and trust me, he isn’t), and his partner is played by the always entertaining Ron Perlman, a mobster who resents the small time operation he runs with Brooks on the west coast. The two of them are vicious and ruthless killers who, through an uncanny string of bad luck and circumstances, find themselves at war with the Driver. The film is very stylized and though it seems to hearken back to action films of the ‘60s and ‘70s, it has an almost oddly ‘80s feel to it due to the synthesizer-heavy soundtrack (though this choice of music may be due to the European tastes of the director). There’s a lot of slow motion and Refn takes his time telling the story, focusing primarily on developing his characters. Interestingly, because of the reserved and backstoryless nature of the protagonist, a few of his “bonding” scenes with Irene are shown through montage, which keeps us at a constant distance with him. This makes the hyper-violent actions scenes all the more shocking, because we aren’t shown that he’s capable of that level of violence. Still, making the film about the Driver instead of his actual driving is a good choice and makes the story that much more interesting when the action does present itself. Compared to other films in this genre, Drive is an interesting change of pace and a stylish alternative to the sub-par norm. It’s packed with good performances and tells a compelling and layered story. And isn’t watching Albert Brooks stab someone worth the price of admission?

Drive is a rather different film. It's atmospheric at times, has a great soundtrack, but the interesting thing is it seems that they intentionally play the opposite mood music while something completely different is going on. One example is playing the song "A Real Human Being" while the movie is violent throughout. I say that as a compliment. It lets the film speak for itself. Speaking of "speaking", you won't see tons of drawn out and meaningless dialogue. Gosling's character doesn't really make any facial expressions or speak much. He's very serious, and is is very......"protective" of the ones he cares about. He is a stunt driver part time, and a mechanic full time. He has anger issues, and doesn't speak much, but when he does he means what he says...and he expects you to trust his honesty. This is very difficult to explain, because this is a very ominous, unusual film. You can't really just lay out his job (and other basic details) and explain the story, or else I feel it personally spoils it to get into any more detail. It is something that has to be watched to be determined whether you like it or not, because the music for some may take a little bit of acquiring, but I personally love it, and it's one of the reasons I love the movie itself. I love the awkwardness in it, and I'm not big on violent films, but I do still really enjoy this film. I think it's the only film that I own that has this much violence in it. Anyway, to summarize everything, I guess it's to just say that the entire entire film is probably an acquired taste for many, and maybe not just the music. Give it a watch, rent it from Amazon if you want to rent it before you purchase a physical copy, and determine for yourself whether you feel it is weird, or awesome. I think it's both, and I love it! I am adding a few photos on Amazon's request for me to post a review, because a replacement is ordered, and the damage is very mild. I called and talked to Amazon tech support, and explained to them that it's very hard to see the damage, and that is why they suggested this, so that if they have any issue accepting the return they can reference this review and view the damage. Though the damage is minor, this being a steelbook collectors item with special artwork, of course I want everything to be perfect, or else I would not collect it. So, this is not a knock on Amazon. They are making things right, and again, the damage is mild (as you'll see). There was a slight tear on the plastic over the spine, and I could not see the cut until I removed that section of plastic. You will see that it slightly goes from the spine to a section of the steel case, but only just a tiny scratch. The only other spot is a very minor dent that I could not see with the plastic on, and is very hard to even show in photos, but is very clear to see in person.

Absolutely an edge of your seat action packed movie. Definitely one of my top 5 favorite movies of all time. I recommended this movie to a coworker and he was absolutely obsessed with the film. I highly recommend you give this movie a watch. You won’t be disappointed!!

4 Stars. [Spoiler Alert!] Nicolas Winding Refn [The Pusher Trilogy (1996, 2004, 2005), Bronson (2008), Valhalla Rising (2009)] takes the wheeland drives an all-star cast to great performances in this stylized and moody movie, based on a book by the same name. Ryan Gosling [The Notebook (2004), Half Nelson (2006), Blue Valentine (2010)] plays a solemn and mysterious man with few words, whose name is never given. He is a Hollywood stunt driver and mechanic that moonlights as a getaway driver in Los Angeles, much like Ryan O’Neal in Walter Hill’s Driver. He works with Shannon, [Bryan Cranston; Malcolm in the Middle (2000 – 2006), Breaking Bad (2008 – 2013)], who owns the garage and is always scheming to get money, often working with a group of local mobsters, Bernie [Albert Brooks; Taxi Driver (1976), Broadcast News (1987) Out of Sight (1998)] and Nico [Ron Perlman; City of Lost Children (1995), Sons of Anarchy (2008 – 2013), a number of animated series]. The Driver befriends his neighbor, Irene [Carey Mulligan; Public Enemies (2009), The Great Gatsby (2013)] and her son and strikes up romance. Her husband, Standard [Oscar Isaac; Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), A Most Violent Year (2014), Ex Machina (2015)], is released from prison, and the mobsters want him to do a hit for them as payback for protection in prison. The Driver offers his services if they would leave Irene and Standard alone. The hit goes all wrong and the Driver shows his true socialopathic nature as he goes on a warpath against the mobsters. While it’s filled with some tense and excellent car chases, the movie moves slowly in the neon world that Rfen creates and, much like Bronson and Valhalla Rising, it’s based on visual style and actions more than words. Cranston’s Shannon is the chattiest one in the movie, while Gosling’s Driver barely says a word. This doesn’t stop the actors from pulling off amazing performances, in particular Gosling, Isaac and Brooks. Helped along by an 80’s throwback soundtrack, the movie is intense even in the pleasant times, like something was about to go wrong at any moment. The script falters a little as they introduce some players without any background, like Blanche [Christina Hendricks; Mad Men (2007 – 2015)], but shines as the Driver switches on his true nature is revealed. Like the Driver, the ending is a mystery. With a gut wound, which we all know from Reservoir Dogs (1992) and other movies is fatal, the camera pans up the Driver from bloody shoes to his closed eyes. It is daylight. We pause on his face. He opens his eyes and drives off. Now night, he is streaming down a California highway. Was he actually dead and this ending was a dream? Did he go to the hospital, as it’s now night? Or was he driving off into the night to die? Any which way, Drive is a superb movie that everyone should see.

Drive is a stylish, slow-burn thriller that feels more like a vibe than a typical action movie. It follows a quiet stunt driver who gets pulled into the criminal underworld, and everything about it is sleek, intense, and minimal. The movie stands out for its neon visuals, calm but gripping tone, and strong soundtrack that gives it a unique atmosphere. Ryan Gosling’s performance is quiet but powerful, making the character feel mysterious and unpredictable. Overall, it’s a cool, artistic crime film with short bursts of violence and a strong emotional edge simple, stylish, and unforgettable.

This movie is fantastic, and by far the best action movie I've seen in a VERY long time. Now I've read a good amount of the negative reviews on this movie, because I was absolutely dumbfounded that there were so many as to bring the overall rating to a 3.5 stars, when every other movie critic website shows that the reaction to this movie has been overwhelmingly positive (and deservedly so). The recurring theme from one review to the next is that it's boring, but to me, the use of the word "boring" seems to have been confused with "doesn't feature 90 straight minutes of mind-numbing gunfire, explosions and special effects". THAT would be a far more accurate description, because this movie is anything but boring. The quiet moments we're offered with The Driver and the people close to him serve to develop the characters, which is done very effectively. A very clear image is painted of the kind of person The Driver is (quiet and humble, if a bit awkward) in the world outside his life of crime, and the time he spends with his neighbor and her son shows us why he should care so much about keeping them safe, and by extension, why WE should care that he does. The quiet scenes also do a very good job of making the exciting scenes pop all the more by emphasizing that if a person like The Driver were to exist in reality, not every waking moment of his life would be showdowns with mobsters or ducking behind mattresses to avoid gunfire. Another complaint I've noticed is that the violence in this movie is just too much. This complaint comes from the same society that throws money at torture porn movies like the Saw or Hostel series. While some of the stuff in this movie IS very gruesome (with criminals chasing and murdering each other, there's gonna be some ugliness), it's both appropriate to the context of the movie and, in my opinion, not overdone. We see glimpses of horror, such as the woman being blown away in the bathroom and Bryan Cranston getting sliced open, but only enough to make the audience face the gravity of what's happening in the scene. There are no prolonged shots held on bleeding corpses or destroyed skulls. This movie has solid characters played very well by their actors, a simple and engaging story, and a soundtrack that could not possibly be more fitting. Ignore the whiners, turn this movie on and enjoy every moment both loud and quiet.

I saw this movie a long time ago but I was really tired and couldn't remember any of the moment from the film. I know the director pretty well and for this movie, the only thing I remember is it was a cool film that has cool soundtrack and cool visual with Ryan Gosling's devotion to Carey Mulligan. The true love. You see, the director Nicolas Winding Refn was never been romantic all his life through his other movies and probably never will be. This is the only film that he is this romantic and melancolic. It is such a sad and maybe you don't need a handkerchief but someone's shoulder to cry on. You see, if a guy is a robber and the guy has a look of a robber, that's no fun. Ryan Gosling is does not have a look of a robber at all. So this movie becomes fun from the start. He meets this woman who has the most beautiful kid. She has a husband who is in prison, He is a useless man. But right after he sees this woman-Carey Mulligan- he falls in love with her. No one cannot but to fall in love with her. She was so pure looking woman. Then the husband came out from the prison and had problem with other guys. They threat him to rob a place for them. You see, Ryan has many talents, he is a fast driver, stunt guy, good at fighting. He decides to help the husband just because he loves Carry. But it failed and the husband got killed. Sadly the bad guys traks down Ryan an finally kills him too. Right before he dies he kills the bad guys too to protect Carry and the boy. He truely loved them with all his heart. I know that the woman and the child changed him life. He had a mundane life before he met this woman and the child and they changed his life. He paid them back by sacrificing himself. Last shot was Carry knocking at Ryan's house again and again. She wanted him back so bad. But he was gone for good. Like I said this is the only romantic film that the director Nicolas Winding Refn ever made and he will never make like this one all his life. The music is really cool with electric sound. It will make you jump and groovy all through the film. The visual is just amazing and as you can see, this movie is the sign of the director that he will concentrate more on visual then story. Although there are still a great amount of violence, action and story still. This is a great film and although some of the audiences are complaining about the slow phase of the film, it is not FAST& FURIOUS movie and it is a totally different way of movie making. You will really love this one and Also watch his upcoming film <NEON DEMON> later.

Muy buena película. Un lenguaje cinematográfico muy preciosista y cuidado, con un tempo muy pausado que contrasta con la violencia brutal de algunas escenas. Música extraordinaria y muy bien aplicada. Y Gosling en un papel poco habitual como el personaje enigmático, tranquilo hasta el punto del Zen, pero que sabe lo que quiere y no se detiene por nada. La película invita a revisar los valores éticos convencionales y se desarrolla sin concesiones.

This movie is awesome! In Mexico it was edited by Videomax, but the OAR is incorrect, thats why I've had avoid that edition. When I saw this another one I cant take off my eyes of it. The image and sound its perfect, the music wow, what else I have to say? Buy it. Esta pelicula es asombrosa saben, En Mexico fue editada por la distribuidora Videomax, pero el Aspect Ratio original es incorrecto, y por eso he evitado comprarla. Así cuando vi esta otra edicion no pude quitarme la idea de conseguirla. La imagen y el sonido son perfectos, la musica es genial, bueno que mas decir? Recomiendo conseguir esta edición.

I can't recommend this highly enough. Compulsively watchable, this is an exercise in control and passion. A portrait of a man of cool, detached intellect falling in love and as a result, his world falling apart. Ryan Gosling gives the performance of a lifetime. The supporting cast, including Carey Mulligan are all excellent. The sparse dialogue leaves huge portions of the story that stand and fall on the acting ability of the cast. There's no room here to hide behind tone of voice and words. This is a deeply subtle film, told more in body language, gesture and eye contact than bold actions and lengthy exposition. And this makes the brutal, bloody action sequences all the more jarring, explosive and gripping for the contrast. There is one scene that runs the gamut from deeply moving first kiss, to bone crunching destruction and violence, to crushing remorse in a 60 second window and the full rollercoaster of emotions is displayed with never a word uttered. Gosling is truly an actor at the peak of his craft in this role. The direction, editing and cinematography are all nothing less than superb. Not your typical 'slip the brain into neutral' action flick. This is intelligent fare with blink and you'll miss them plot intricacies. Be prepared to work at it. Give it your undivided attention. It deserves nothing less. Achingly beautiful, deeply moving, brutally violent this is a complex and sophisticated brew. LA looks gorgeous. The soundtrack is emotive; haunting, 80's electropop throwback with a modern twist. By the time you finish this, shiny jackets will seem like the last word in cool. Worth every penny and one I'll be watching again and again. Check out the novel 'Drive' too by James Sallis. Seriously recommended.

ありがとうございました

Il y a encore quelques jours, j'étais réticente à visionner ce film pourtant décrit comme un "évènement hors du commun", un "OVNI cinématographique". Non, je ne me suis pas laissée "embrigader" tout de suite... ni par les chants du V8, ni même par les beaux yeux de Ryan Gosling ! J'ai laissé passer la ferveur et les clameurs de la sortie, pensant que "Drive" était probablement "encore un de ces films de mecs pour les mecs qui ont besoin de jouer à "vroum-vroum" pour impressionner les filles (mais qui ne pissent pas loin")... Et bien, j'avais tord. Rien, mais RIEN à voir avec un "Fast & Furious", "60 Secondes Chrono", ou autre road-movie pour adolescents torturés par les premières montées de testostérone. Adapté d'un roman de James Sallis, Drive frappe d'entrée par l'ambiance eightie's soulignée par une BO superbe (surtout "Nightcall", de Kavinsky), sans chichi, et franchement PLANANTE ! On est vite transportés par l'émotion et l'athmosphère du film, en tout cas c'est ce que j'ai ressenti... Plaira aux contemplatifs, rêveurs et ouverts d'esprit ;) Ryan Gosling colle au rôle à la perfection, avec une dégaine à la James Dean... (et ça, waow, rien à faire, je suis fan ! ;)) En face, Carey Mulligan (Irene) ; tous deux parviennent à faire passer l'émotion sans blabla ni pommade, ni sentimentalisme à 2 balles ou autre psychologie de bar... Dans le rôle des mafiosi locaux, citons Albert Brooks et Ron Perlman. Il m'a fallu néanmoins une petite réflexion à la fin, et je n'ai eu qu'une envie : revoir le film une seconde fois, pour me réimprégner de cette atmosphère si particulière. Et là, j'ai vraiment été CONVAINCUE par cette poésie mélancolique, cette ambiance noire et romanesque à la fois, qui ne s'embarrasse pas de superficialités ni de mots inutiles... par cet anti-héro emblématique et insaisissable, remarquablement interprété. En effet, sans le jeu des rôles principaux, sans la BO qui colle si bien au scénario (que l'on doit à Hossein Amini) et sans la réalisation géniale du Danois Nicolas Winding Refn (qui aurait par ailleurs été engagé sur le projet sur la recommandation de Ryan Gosling), le film n'aurait jamais atteint cette dimension fantasmagorique... (et aurait peut-être été juste un "film de gangsters/action/thriller/drame" vu, déjà vu et revu !) Ambiance, plans léchés et photo soignée... à mon avis, DRIVE est déjà un film culte ! Ce petit "bijou" pourrait même rappeler, pour certaines scènes, un certain "Bullit" (avec Steve Mc Queen, 1968). Bref, on adore ou on "trouve nul". Drive ne peut laisser indifférent ;) Enfin, notons que Refn a reçu le Prix de la mise en scène bien mérité au Festival de Cannes 2011. [...]