Drive

Just a little dark. Maybe.

by Hunter Isham

        Before formally jumping into this review of Drive, I'll say that I've had a whirlwind of a weekend that kept me fairly busy, and I've been away from the keyboard for a bit. With official business out of the way, let's get down to why we're all here. I was one of the intrigued few who decided to catch Nicolas Winding Refn's 2011 crime drama Drive while it was still in theaters. It's a film that is at once quiet and subtle yet pulsing with energy and bursts of violence. Ryan Gosling stars as the Driver, a movie stunt driver and freelance getaway man who gives his criminal clients strict rules about how long they have before he takes off. He makes the acquaintance of an attractive neighbor, Irene (Carrie Mulligan), watching over her and her young son. From there he works to help settle her husband's debt, freeing them from the watchful eye of those who dwell in Los Angeles' seedy underbelly.
        To be quite honest, I haven't seen Drive since it's theatrical release, and while it's certainly a film that sticks in your mind, I haven't been eager to see it again, despite my own curiosity as to how I'd perceive it now. There are many great elements of this film that make it quite good, specifically the cast, including the stoic Gosling, a tender Mulligan, a cowering Bryan Cranston (as Gosling's mechanic pal/manager), and a slimy, menacing Albert Brooks as a movie producer whose got more than just a little business on the side. Gosling does a great job of holding our attention despite the low key character, making it absolutely necessary to watch him when he suddenly bursts into bouts of violence, such as a now infamous scene in an elevator involving the Driver's shoe and a henchman's head. With such a wonderful and varied cast, which also includes an appearance by Mad Men's Christina Hendricks, it may be hard to imagine there being a standout, but Brooks gives a truly powerhouse performance. He shares a scene late in the film with Cranston that is hard to forget, and divulging any details would spoil both the plot and ruin the nuances of the performances (contrasting Cranston's relatively weak character here with Breaking Bad's Walter White shows his own fantastic range).
        Another strong element that gives the actors a beautiful sandbox in which to play is the gorgeous cinematography that Drive features. This film can be a feast for the eyes at times, even if it's when Gosling is walking down the corridor of a strip club, clutching a hammer that will soon be a tool of coercion. Winding Refn (of Denmark, for those who are curious) certainly knows how to direct a film, matching the wonderful photography (for which cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel must largely be responsible) with a steady pace that doesn't lurch forward as one might expect given the many quiet and relatively explosive moments. Cliff Martinez' score must also be given a good deal of credit for helping to set the mood of the film.
        Good actors? Check. Taut direction? Check. Solid screenplay? (Not mentioned, but yes, it's solid) Check. Everything seems right, so why haven't I wanted to revisit the world of Drive. Well, it's dark. I don't have a problem with dark, but Drive is dark in that melodic, occasionally ponderous way, where bad things happen and the audience is supposed to sit and admire how beautiful everything looks, no matter how violent it is. Is it the violence? No, I don't mind the film's violence (although I did cringe a bit when viewing the film), but when Drive gets violent, it gets violent. It sounds like I need to watch more Rock Hudson and Doris Day comedies, but I really don't mind the intensity of it all. I suppose my main beef with Drive is that I simply didn't love it with a capital L. Many proclaimed it one of the best films of 2011, and thought it was a dark horse candidate for some Oscar nominations (Brooks is deserving here), but I merely considered it very good. That's definitely not an indictment of this film's quality, but rather a statement about my reaction to it. I suppose the worst thing I can say about Drive is that when the end credits rolled I immediately felt the need to watch something light and funny, and I settled on Mel Brooks' classic Blazing Saddles. That film takes you about as far in the other direction as is possible, but that's a topic for another review. For now, feel safe that if you don't mind lots of blood and a potential craving for insane screwball comedy, Drive is a trip worth taking. 8/10