Drive
A nameless stunt driver (Ryan Gosling), living in Hollywood, and moonlighting as a getaway driver for extra income bites off an unexpected chunk that might be too big to swallow in an attempt to help out his attractive neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan). Meanwhile, friend and mentor Shannon (Bryan Cranston) attempts to set things straight with local mobsters Bernie (Albert Brooks) and Nino (Ron Perlman). Once the stage is set and millions of stolen dollars are in play it’s anybody’s guess who’ll live to tell the tale.
Stylistic though and through, Drive is an interesting mix of European directing, a Western story, and the sensibilities of a classic Eastern samurai showdown. That being said this is probably going to be a tough sell to the masses. In particular, the debatable direction of Gosling comes across as either monotone or brilliant depending on what you want to see. And, with a mix of pulp grindhouse violence tempered with a wicked undertowing silence the film makes for one of the most memorable and tense low speed car chases I’ve ever seen; some of the most graphic beatings in a non-horror film; and, a shakedown in a strip club that’ll actually keep your eyes off the girls and on the action instead, yeah I was a bit surprised about that one too. Then there’s the score, most of which is okay, but I’ll be quick to point out I think I threw up in my mouth a little with the main “hero theme,” a pop songy thing that comes back several times, each time a little worse than the first. All told, I think we’ve got an art house flick that might be best as a rental later. Drive is rated R.