Drive (B+ or 3/4 stars)
'Drive' (directed by Nicolas Winding Refn), an arthouse romance/actioner, stars Ryan Gosling as a quiet, existentialist loner. He is a 'Driver' (nameless), & does all sorts of jobs: stunt drives for Hollywood movies, works at an auto repair garage (run by his pal, played by Bryan Cranston), races, & moonlights as a driver-for-hire for local criminals. He is as inscrutable as they come: tall, brooding, rarely talks, sucks on his toothpick, barely moves a muscle in his face, etc. Carey Mulligan plays Irene, a comely waitress who lives down the hall from Driver in their dingy apartment complex. Irene's lowlife husband (Oscar Isaac) is due out of prison in a week. But it's prior to his release that Irene & her young son befriend Driver; who takes them driving & gets to know them a bit.
Driver's relationship with Irene is chaste, but they really like each other; and he acts as surrogate father to the kid until the husband returns. Meanwhile, Driver's friend/boss (Cranston) provides him with getaway cars & puts together a deal that'll allow him to drive a souped-up car for his races. But to get the $$ for that car, he turns to a couple of mobsters - Bernie (Albert Brooks, in a comeback role) & the brutish Nino (Ron Perlman, real badass, here). Situations turn dire when Driver finds himself a target for those very mobsters after agreeing to help Irene's husband in a pawn shop heist. A contract has been put out on Driver after said heist goes wrong. And Driver is forced to rely on his deeply-submerged violent instincts in order to keep Irene & her son safe. Bloody chaos ensues.
So what you basically got here is: Driver evolving into a psycho protector of Irene & her son by transforming into a blood-spattered revenge machine. I really dug the opening 15 min. of this film. In a flashy pre-credit sequence, we see Driver pulling off a getaway for the mob; showing the meticulous planning that goes into such a high stakes operation (this includes a stopwatch, a police radio & amazing driving skills). In fact, it's probably the best part of the 100 minute film. There is a sleek sophistication to 'Drive'. It's slow, methodical, low-key. But then ... boom ... bursts of gruesome violence fly across the screen; giving the film a visceral edge (JUST when you thought the film was losing you). I'd also use the word 'cool' to describe the film. I loved the sights & sounds of 'Drive'.
Ryan Gosling owns & exudes a calm authority onscreen. He is one of the best actors out there (I feel) because his presence demands that you watch him. And his face is an open book. The slightest of facial tics speak more than several pages of trite dialogue could. That said, Gosling has to work hard to convey a lot with this enigmatic character (there's little background/context for his behavior). It’s fun watching him lose his sh*t whenever Irene is in danger. But where did that rage come from? For better or worse, he's a mystery. Carey Mulligan is stellar. But the relationship btwn. Irene & Driver - however sweet - felt a bit undernourished. Albert Brooks, Bryan Cranston & Ron Perlman round out the performances, quite well.
You know, the critics love 'Drive'. Fast cars. Dangerous men. They see it as a fresh, brilliant burst of genre filmmaking. A moody, film noir action film. A parable of good vs. evil. An exercise in cinematic poetry, style, & bubbling-below-the-surface rage. I agree with all of that. There's an 'Is-It-Real-Or-Isn't It' elevator scene that may become iconic. I really dug Gosling. Loved the technical flourishes. The cool retro musical score is playing over & over in my head. And there are some awesome chase scenes. But for me to have fully invested in the central relationship or the outlying ramifications of the violence, 'Drive' needed a bigger dose of characterization & narrative verve. 'Drive' falls short of masterpiece status. And yet ... even with my complaints, I find it unusually appealing.
Driver's relationship with Irene is chaste, but they really like each other; and he acts as surrogate father to the kid until the husband returns. Meanwhile, Driver's friend/boss (Cranston) provides him with getaway cars & puts together a deal that'll allow him to drive a souped-up car for his races. But to get the $$ for that car, he turns to a couple of mobsters - Bernie (Albert Brooks, in a comeback role) & the brutish Nino (Ron Perlman, real badass, here). Situations turn dire when Driver finds himself a target for those very mobsters after agreeing to help Irene's husband in a pawn shop heist. A contract has been put out on Driver after said heist goes wrong. And Driver is forced to rely on his deeply-submerged violent instincts in order to keep Irene & her son safe. Bloody chaos ensues.
So what you basically got here is: Driver evolving into a psycho protector of Irene & her son by transforming into a blood-spattered revenge machine. I really dug the opening 15 min. of this film. In a flashy pre-credit sequence, we see Driver pulling off a getaway for the mob; showing the meticulous planning that goes into such a high stakes operation (this includes a stopwatch, a police radio & amazing driving skills). In fact, it's probably the best part of the 100 minute film. There is a sleek sophistication to 'Drive'. It's slow, methodical, low-key. But then ... boom ... bursts of gruesome violence fly across the screen; giving the film a visceral edge (JUST when you thought the film was losing you). I'd also use the word 'cool' to describe the film. I loved the sights & sounds of 'Drive'.
Ryan Gosling owns & exudes a calm authority onscreen. He is one of the best actors out there (I feel) because his presence demands that you watch him. And his face is an open book. The slightest of facial tics speak more than several pages of trite dialogue could. That said, Gosling has to work hard to convey a lot with this enigmatic character (there's little background/context for his behavior). It’s fun watching him lose his sh*t whenever Irene is in danger. But where did that rage come from? For better or worse, he's a mystery. Carey Mulligan is stellar. But the relationship btwn. Irene & Driver - however sweet - felt a bit undernourished. Albert Brooks, Bryan Cranston & Ron Perlman round out the performances, quite well.
You know, the critics love 'Drive'. Fast cars. Dangerous men. They see it as a fresh, brilliant burst of genre filmmaking. A moody, film noir action film. A parable of good vs. evil. An exercise in cinematic poetry, style, & bubbling-below-the-surface rage. I agree with all of that. There's an 'Is-It-Real-Or-Isn't It' elevator scene that may become iconic. I really dug Gosling. Loved the technical flourishes. The cool retro musical score is playing over & over in my head. And there are some awesome chase scenes. But for me to have fully invested in the central relationship or the outlying ramifications of the violence, 'Drive' needed a bigger dose of characterization & narrative verve. 'Drive' falls short of masterpiece status. And yet ... even with my complaints, I find it unusually appealing.