Saturday, September 17, 2011

Drive

There's always that one role in an actor's filmography that stands out from the rest. Most of the time, that role puts restrictions on the actor's career. It's bothersome especially if the actor is quite versatile in other roles.

Ryan Gosling provides a solid example. He was a rising talent from Canada with several solid performances. Then came The Notebook, which put a damper on his career for a while. Such movies like Half Nelson and Blue Valentine showed his dramatic range and with Drive, Gosling shows he has an edge. More than once throughout the movie he channels Travis Bickle for both Bickle and Gosling's nameless driver are quiet loners whose actions speak louder than their words.

Drive shows that its influences are the works of Michael Mann (particularly Collateral) and Martin Scorsese (particularly Taxi Driver). One notable similarity between these three titles is that they may be marketed as violent movies, but in reality they rely more on character than carnage. Another similarity between these three is that no matter how lit up the cities are, they can't conceal the blood that flows from the many crimes committed within the underbelly of it all.

I was already familiar with Nicholas Winding Refn through Bronson, which I thought was too violent for my tastes. With Drive, violence is used sparingly. When it is used, it's done in glorious Tarantino fashion. And for performances, the best came from Gosling and an against type Albert Brooks. I would be beyond satisfied if they got recognized for their work.

My Rating: *****

8 comments:

  1. I want to watch this so bad. Now you've compared it to stuff like Taxi Driver and Tarantino gore...gah!! I must!

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  2. It's Too bad that Lion King 3-D is stealing Drive's Box Office Thunder...

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  3. Very glad you liked it Anna.

    It did remind of "Taxi Driver" a lot - especially those scenes of solitude with him in the car.

    Nice review.

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  4. I wish I could see this film :( Please come out soon!

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  5. Yet another positive review of DRIVE. The glowing praise for this film makes me envy those lucky enough to have seen it.

    I'm like Stevee... I want it to come out here soon!

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  6. Awesome review. I absolutely loved the film. In fact, I'm planning on seeing it again this week.

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  7. I loved the parallels with Collateral, most notably the use of the downtown area of LA which is almost a character in this movie as well. Absolutely loved this film and I will go and see it again this weekend!

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  8. Ahhh, Michael Mann, good call! I definitely caught the Taxi Driver feel, but I knew there was something else I couldn't quite pin down. Definitely had that Collateral thing going for it. And I'm frankly just glad to see Ryan Gosling not doing a rom com, he's proved himself to be so much better than that! Great review!

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