Film Review: Drive

Director: Nicholas Winding Refn

I have to admit that I am late to the party with regards to Drive, many people including my girlfriend have sung its praises non-stop so I decide it would jump the list of films to watch. Ryan Gosling, who plays the driver in the film whose name is never known, plays a very different role to the other films that I have seen him in whilst Carey Mulligan is subtly beautiful as the Irene the single Mum. Many people were massively disappointed when it was snubbed as the Oscar nominations were announced and now I can see why they were so unhappy.

Ryan Gosling as the unnamed driver

This neo-noir film has a hugely 80's feel about it and the opening scenes actually reminded me of an old Grand Theft Auto videogame with the driving round the city with the music on. The opening scene has no dialogue between the characters in front of the camera and just the police radio that can be heard (as they are trying to get away after a robbery). It defines the style of the film early on as the film has little dialogue especially from the unnamed driver (Ryan Gosling).

(Spoiler alert) The way the film is shot as well as the soundtrack is what really wins your heart, there are numerous scenes I could continually praise for paragraphs so will try to cut it down for you. The sexual tension between Gosling and Mulligan throughout the film is incredibly intense, in some parts you feel slightly awkward as if you are the third person on a date. The scene where they kiss is superbly filmed in slow motion as the lights in the lift slowly dim and flicker, I actually felt like applauding this scene alone. The driving scenes had many shots with the camera mounted on the head rest behind Gosling's right shoulder so you could see the road and the side of his head. Over the years there have been many films that have used different angles to film driving scenes but this gave you a great view of the action in front of the Driver.

The Kiss

(More spoilers)The second half sees a complete clash of moods as the slick beautiful first half of the film makes way for a violent trail of destruction in the second. The Driver even says 'I don't carry a gun' so expect some different methods of killing and intimidating people as he tries to find a way to out of the mess he has become involved in. But still at no point does this suave stylishness disappear from the picture.

The music within the film adds to the feel of the 1980's in LA feel, the song over the opening scene (Nightcall by Kavinsky) and a recurring song "A Real Hero" by College feat Electric Youth are songs that I instantly listened to again once the film was over. The title sequence is hot pink, much like in Risky Business, which was another popular theme of the 1980's. This is a film that I rank right up there with Mulholland Drive (one of my favourite films of all time) for the way it is filmed. How Drive wasn't nominated for best cinematography and best directing I will never know.

Ryan Gosling oozes charisma and his lack of speech within the film only makes him seem more dark and mysterious. His jacket with a gold scorpion on the back and leather driving gloves are nearly ever present as part of his character, this is an era where people loves their anti-heroes as much as their original heroes. The first comparison that came to my mind after watching the film was with Steve McQueen in Bullitt. Christina Hendricks has a great cameo within the film but Ron Pearlman & Albert Brooks are both superb as the mobsters who want their money back. There isn't a single person within this film that is miscast and sometimes that can make all the difference.

3.5/4 Great acting performances, amazing soundtrack, superb filming and cinematography but slightly simplistic plot stops it scoring a perfect 4.

PS I believe Refn and Gosling are re-uniting for a remake of Sci-Fi flick Logan's Run, my expectations are already sky high!