> REVIEW
_____________________________________________________
Drive (2011)
Refn and Gosling get their hands dirty…
_____________________________________________________
By Samuel Barnett | September 2011
Icon Film Distribution ©
DIRECTOR: Nicolas Winding Refn
WRITER(S): Hossein Amini / James Sallis (novel)
Make no mistake Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive is an art-house thriller. With its booming 80′s soundtrack and decidedly auteur presentation, from the cinematography to the framing, Drive is a difficult beast to attach labels to. Is it mostly character study and part crime drama? Or is it the other way round? Your decision will rest upon Ryan Gosling’s performance.
His character is simply referred to as the Driver, and is essentially a melting pot of cinematic icons. If you were to combine ‘the man with no name’ from The Dollars Trilogy played by Clint Eastwood (tooth pick included), with James Dean’s boyish charm and good looks, you’re just about there. The Driver’s jacket and overall appearance is a reference to the Kenneth Anger short Scorpio Rising (1964), one of the definitive underground pieces of American cinema. Mysterious and dark throughout; he rarely says a word, relying entirely upon his actions, making for some truly surprising and brutal scenes.
Stuntman by day, getaway driver by night, Driver lives a lonely and quiet life in a small apartment room until he begins to form a close bond with his neighbour Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son. When Irene’s husband (Oscar Isaac) returns home from prison, bringing his problems with him, Driver is forced to help him in one last heist in order to secure the safety of Irene and her son.
Refn appears to have an obsession with the primal aspect of human nature lurking beneath the surface. There’s a running theme of violence and darkness surrounding his films. The further Drive descends into a bitter and dark tale of revenge, the more violent it becomes. It’s dealt with in a graphic and shocking manner; up close with special effects not too dissimilar to those deployed in a David Cronenberg movie.
Despite the subject matter, the script can plod at times, so those expecting a fast paced action extravaganza will be disappointed. The action scenes are few and far between, although when they appear they are visceral and exceptionally edited.
Every now and then a character appears on the big screen; oozing with unique style and memorable attributes. Be it James Stark in Rebel Without A Cause (1955) or Harry Callahan in Dirty Harry (1971), like Driver, these characters will be forever entrenched in movie history, embracing and encompassing a generation of film lovers.
Script…………………………………………………………………………………………….
While the narrative doesn’t quite hold up under close scrutiny, Amini’s script
takes a direction that will both shock and please in equal measure. 3
Direction………………………………………………………………………………………..
Drive looks and sounds very similar to Refn’s previous release Bronson (2008).
With a dark and brooding 80’s soundtrack and an art house style, it is beautiful throughout (even in its most brutal scenes). Aesthetically Drive is at the top of
its game. 5
Verdict…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Drive may not be an original concept, but the combination of the stylish direction
and biting script makes for a truly unique movie experience. Highly recommended. 4
Check out our interview with Drive author James Sallis
