Drive

'Drive' is a visceral and brilliantly executed vision of art-house action; possibly one of the greatest art-house films to have graced the screen. Nicolas Winding Refn has created a stylised neo-noir thriller that is simply stunning; full of glorified violence and stroking imagery. The soundtrack is amazing, fully reflecting the films mood, whilst attempting to create an atmospheric feel to accompany the gritty action. 'Drive' is a captivating mix of contemporary and retro aesthetics. A stylish and taut thriller that keeps the audience entertained from start to finish with breathtaking sequences, brutal violence and stunning cinematography, a modern masterpiece that has truly redefined the noir genre.

I think we all remember hearing about Ryan Gosling right after 'The Notebook' came out. Most men, including myself, neglected the man on his acting ability. It's not a good reason to not really appreciate an actor. But when it comes to romantic flicks like that, i'm not really keen on the subject, or it's actors for that matter. But film by film, this man is starting to impress the hell out of me. Now it's about time to see what kind of chops this man has when it comes to an action film.

Believe me when i say this.......it is the coolest damn action flick i've seen in quiet some time. It's not your basic shoot em' picture. It has this slight 'noire' edge to it that makes it shine much brighter than the rest.

For starters, let's talk about the pace of the film. Most may call it slow, whereas i call it hypnotic. The lead played by Gosling, is a cold and quiet fellow who barely even speaks, blinks, or give any reference to his emotions. The film is littered with these somewhat awkward pauses by his character........i personally wouldn't call them awkward, because the way the film is presented, it makes them look beautiful. Case in point......in the movie "Heat", you know how Dinero, Kilmer, Sizemore, Trejo barely speak to one another. But the overall feeling is just so entertaining to watch? That's the exact same feeling you get when you watch this picture.

But as the film rolls on, Gosling's character becomes a bit more vibrant. And by that, i mean more gory. It's not the kind of gore you would expect. Not like Tarantino gore, but more like a David Cronenberg gore. (History of Violence, Eastern Promises). You know, the settle, yet explosive gore that you really weren't expecting......which i love. And then the movie does nothing but climb higher and higher with it's level of intensity. It took this stone cold character, and molded him into one cool ass superhero.

But what really sold me on this film was it's overall FEEL. The best example i can give is this........it's a cool mix between "Heat" and "Taxi Driver", with a very artistic edge. I already said that the movie is hypnotic, and i cannot stress that enough. Once the picture starts, your eyes are literally glued to the screen. The cinematography is fantastic, the musical score is hip and awesome, and the acting is top notch. All these elements were executed to perfection.

Bottom Line.......i may go and see this movie again. I rarely ever do that......THAT'S how awesome this was. It's an art-house action flick at it's finest. Both men and women will drool over this movie. If you get the chance, go and see this movie......you will never regret it.

Ryan Gosling brings down the hammer on that line where logic reason and self preservation become secondary to protecting what is important to you. There are a few moments where he doesn't just cross that line but obliterates it completely.

Beautifully crafted pounding action thriller with twisted humor and seriously hard core violence. Compelling tenderness from characters that are unsophisticated in the best sense of the word.

This film will go down as one of the best Action films in decades. Car chases that rival and extend beyond Bullitt and French Connection. Violence that bursts out of the screen like a horror film or a bad dream by David Cronenberg. Passing moments of tenderness that are drawn out until you are slowly pulled into the emotional world of the protagonists.

Something so powerful, especially when it works, is the use of sharp and dramatic Camera Angles in Drive that mirror the emotional moment of the story drawing you into the characters world.

View and angles often extremely low angled and tilted sharply upward, effective at expanding the feeling of voyeurism of being at the dinner table or in the adjacent seat, right in the room with the characters while safely looking up from some shadow or nook or cranny. Very emotionally transcendent cinematography.

Night footage was amazingly successful at capturing the range of light and shadows, on a technical level the audio and video were strong and assured. Not only the first robbery but all the way through the film right up to the final resolution of the plot, the night was a familiar environment for major turns in the story (pun intended).

I will return hopefully soon to expand on this review, but I had to write something tonight because this film is ten times more badass than any Transporter or Fast and Furious fare that is usually sold in their all too obvious packaging.

Drive leaves them all in the Dust.

This filmed was viewed on the Big Screen at the LAFILMFEST screening June 17th 2011

It would be difficult to write about parts of the storyline in this film, because many expectations change when the consequences of one event folds upon another. A terrific original screenplay defies Hollywood conventions of over-the-top plot convolutions and unrealistic twists. Sure, there are a couple coincidences, but there are many rewards for keeping the story simplified and enhance the characters' arcs. The director borrows heavily from Michael Mann in painting a cool atmosphere with glistening city lights at night and a throbbing synthesiser soundtrack. The film elevates itself above any other similar film in it's drama, perhaps better than the character rich film "The Town" from 2010. The editing emphasises the main character's withdrawn persona, hiding his emotions (indirectly hinting at his criminal past) while romancing his neighbour. Moments in conversation where a 'normal' person would express their feelings or be more extroverted, are instead tension filled passages of silence that speak louder than words. With great use of subtlety, the film does wonders in terms of depicting the main character's withdrawn mental state, but still visualising his thoughts and intentions without direct exposition.

Another accolade must be given to actor Ryan Gosling in the lead role. We the audience must invest time into this character, which the film keeps in the first person narrative, most activities outside of his knowledge are outside of ours. He must show realistic reactions to danger, even though his past is never quite explained. The right emphasis is given to revealing moments of his capabilities, so when he is set in harm's way, we believe he can stand up to the test. The rest of the cast is well heeled in talent, allowing the sense of naturalism to provide the tone. As you may notice in critical reviews, when a film exposes no obvious weaknesses, the positive rating goes up. I myself am having a hard time exposing any weakness in this film, I felt I was in good hands, and was not annoyed by any plot contrivances. I happen to be a fan of Michael Mann, as must the director of this film, and the right homage elements work for me. I think of this perhaps of the antithesis of "Fast & Furious". One of the best films I have seen this year, could even get an Oscar nod with the screenplay or editing.

Drive is different, intense, brutal and simple, Drive is not like any other thief action film with a loud music, lot of gunshot, jump from here to there, it's not, Drive is a face pacing movie that will keep you interested every single second of it, fills with incredible performance by all the cast especially Ryan Gosling, Drive is a great time.