Drive (2011)

Drive (2011) Dir. by Nicolas Winding Refn

A Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a wheelman discovers that a contract has been put on him after a heist gone wrong.

Unfortunately I haven't really had the chance to watch all of Refn's other films, but I have managed to catch a bit of Bronson, and from what I have seen it is pretty good. Refn is making quite the name for himself as a not only a filmmaker but a writer as well, with the Pusher Trilogy, Bronson, Valhalla Rising, and Drive all getting great reviews and I can see why. He has such a unique style of filmmaking.



The acting in Drive is as top notch as I have seen this year. I have always been a big fan of Ryan Gosling, but he went above my expectations once again for Drive. Even without a whole lot of dialogue he is able to portray a multi-leveled character that just pulls you in to the story. The supporting cast is about as good as it gets as well including Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks, and another solid performance from newcomer Oscar Issac. Ron Perlman was a bit over the top on occasion, but I mean... it is Ron Frickin Perlman, so I let it slide.



This film was unlike anything I have seen in a long time. It had a Scorcese tempo, and 80's style score, a story as deep as any Oscar winning film, and cinematography so beautiful it almost made my eyes water. The way Refn films this movie is a thing of beauty. The tempo is super slow, but just fast enough to keep you interested. I really appreciated the fact that he takes the time to not only develop the characters, but also concentrate on the relationships between the characters, and how they interact with each other. I cared about each and every one of them, even after they get dispatched like a Scorcese film. I was really not expecting the level of gore in the film, and when it happened it shocked the crap out of me. I was really surprised at how realistic it was, and it never took away from the story. If I were to end this with something negative about the film, it would be a couple of shots that just lingered a good twenty seconds too long, but other than that it was a solid film that I will return to watching many times.

Entertainment Value: 9/10 Shotgun Blasts to the Head
Cinematic Value: 9/10 Shotgun Blasts to the Head