You shouldn’t see “Drive” if you’re looking for a good popcorn movie. That isn’t to say it’s bad, it’s actually one of the best films of the year.
It follows a nameless protagonist, played by the always fantastic Ryan Gosling, who is a stunt driver and mechanic by day, and a getaway driver by night. “Driver” (as the credits refer to Gosling’s character,) is soft-spoken to say the least, making each line uttered by Gosling hard-hitting and just plain cool. Gosling and director Nicolas Winding Refn actually removed the vast majority of the Driver’s lines from the film, instead relying on Gosling’s incredibly expressive face.
True to its name, “Drive” features tense, heart-pounding car chases that never cease to amaze. But this isn’t your typical pedal to the metal chases through the city. Driver has a style that isn’t focused on showy swerves through oncoming traffic, but more on stealth. Instead jumping off ramps, the Driver blends in with the crowd, turns off his headlights in dark allies, and only uses speed when absolutely necessary. His vehicles of choice for jobs are inconspicuous, boring cars, with a whole lot of extra horsepower under the hood. If the “Fast and the Furious” is the car chase equivalent of break dancing, then “Drive” is the equivalent of a ballroom dance performance.
One could count the scenes of violence in Drive on one hand, but they are brutal to say the least. By using scenes of violence sparingly, the shock value is that much more effectiv. This, combined with the sheer, minimalistic and fierce intensity that is Gosling’s performance makes an incredibly affecting movie. Although unflinching and well-versed in combat, you can see the toll each act of violence takes on Driver. Gosling shakes and convulses after each incident, showing that despite his experience, it never gets any easier. This isn’t a movie to bring the kids to, but the squeamish shouldn’t deprive themselves of this viewing experience.
Gosling isn’t the only great performance in this film. A lovable father figure simply named Shannon is played by Bryan Cranston (of Breaking Bad and Malcom in the Middle fame.) There are two main villains in “Drive.” Nino, played by Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Sons of Anarchy,) is your run-of-the-mill mobster looking to make a bigger name for himself. He and his partner, a horribly menacing man named Bernie Rose, is played by Albert Brooks (Marlin, from Finding Nemo, not joking.) Perlman is known for playing a wide array of characters both terrifying and lovable, but Brooks in particular is an interesting cast choice. When looking at Brooks’ filmography, one thing sticks out. Brooks has virtually never played a villain in a film, usually being the protagonist, or a non-antagonist character, and yet he fits his role as a ruthless mobster so well.
Drive isn’t all action, in fact, a very large chunk of the film is devoted to the Driver’s relationship with his neighbor, a single mother who’s husband is imprisoned, portrayed by Carey Mulligan. Her husband is eventually released, but owes a huge debt to a criminal organization that protected him in prison. The Driver’s decision to help him pay off the debt to save his family is what kicks off the main plot, but needless to say, things don’t go as planned.
Drive is a gorgeous tribute to the great car chase movies of the 1980’s. The film oozes 80’s with the credits pink cursive font, and the haunting electronic soundtrack. All of this is shot beautifully by Refn, a director mainly known for his independent work such as Bronson and Valhalla rising. It is by far, the most suspenseful, beautiful, and thoroughly entertaining film of the year so far, that will stay with you long after you leave the theater.
