Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Written by Hossein Amini
★ Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston
Even though DRIVE has only been a moderate success at the box office, it's already considered a cult classic by its fans. Once they saw Ryan Gosling driving around in L.A. at night time to the blooming electronic beats of Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx, they were hooked. So was I.
While few films truly live out their ideas, DRIVE has its own spirit that shines through in every single scene. The extreme brutality may seem arty to some viewers, to me it was just perfect. A little shocking at times, but nevertheless perfectly right.
The complete contrast to the brutality is existent in many calm and slow scenes, and both sides are connected in the character of the Driver, who is a quiet yet two-fisted person. If you haven't been falling for Ryan Gosling yet, this movie will certainly make you. Ryan is the greatest star of the movie, taking the spotlight from every single one of the excellent supporting actors and actresses. His character is best described in the lyrics of one of the hyper-cool songs of the soundtrack: „A real human being, and a real hero“.
Though he shows traces of humanity by falling in love with Carey Mulligan's character and being wounded a few times, the Driver is an invincible hero. Maybe it's this utterly cool hero that I've been missing in many films of the recent times, at least he's one of the main reasons why I loved DRIVE. The way his silver jacket with the golden scorpion shines in the light, the dark sunglasses that hide his beautiful blue eyes, and his calm smile... absolutely everything about him is so perfect it hurts.
It is hard for me to write about a film I love, and therefore, this review isn't very long. I want to apologize for this, but the words just won't come... it's only emotions, sounds and images in my head. The pink letters, the short yet always perfectly fitting dialogue, the moment when me and my mum couldn't bear the absurd brutality anymore and were caught by a fit of laughter in the theater... which, in case you would like to know, was after one of the gangsters hit a fork into the eye of another gangster.
The haunting alternation of silence and slaughter, and the moment when everything was over and I realized how outstanding this movie is.
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| I always fear to be too impulsive rating movies, therefore the rating is a bit lower than I would actually like it to be. |
I loved it even more after watching it again, it's just one of those films that gets better and better... And the songs were amazing, I listen to the soundtrack ALL the time!
ReplyDeleteMe too, I bought the soundtrack on iTunes instantly after the movie!
DeleteI have the same feelings toward Drive that you have tried to express, too, Mette! And it's weird how sometimes films you love leave you with thoughts that you can't put down into words per se.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think Drive did well at the box office, considering it was made for about $15 million and got back more than $70 million as far as I am aware?
Well, it was an average success, yes, but a lot of people didn't like it...
DeleteI'm happy you understand what I was trying to say... there's so much to be said about this movie, but in the end, nothing will ever be as good as seeing it with your own eyes.
Blood Music Ryan.... Actually I was looking for a place to buy Driving Sunglasses for driving purpose. now I know where to shop and what would be their estimated price in wholesale shops.
ReplyDeleteAh... well, that's good :).
DeleteLovely review! I agree it's an excellent movie, such a rare kind too - it evokes so many emotions in the viewer and has really lovely dreamy atmosphere that contrasts with this crazy outbearsts of violence. Very unique film.
ReplyDeleteUnique is the right word. I can't wait to buy the DVD and re-watch.
DeleteLoved loved loved this movie. My favorite of last year.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had seen it last year, because it would definitely have been in my Top 5 list. Next year, I'll wait and make my list in April.
DeleteDrive was one of the best films of the past year, just perfectly directed. Lovely review, and I dig your little graphical flourishes too!
ReplyDeleteI agree - obviously.
DeleteThank you; even though it takes a lot of time, I love working on the graphic details of the blog, so I'm happy you appreciate it.
Isn't this movie just great? Words can't explain how much I love it at the moment. And the music is really cool!
ReplyDeleteAt the day I get my driving license, I'll jump into the car and drive around the city listening to the Drive soundtrack... that's going to be awesome!
DeleteAnd I'm really jealous the DVDs out everywhere except Germany already. Maybe I'll find it in Denmark.
Oh I totally understand what you mean by being so overwhelmed with a film that you can't write about it. So glad you felt this way about Drive. Fantastic film. Love it so much and Ryan Gosling is amazing in it.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny to think that I had absolutely no idea what this "Gosling" everybody was talking about looked like. (Pretty hot, as it turns out, haha).
DeleteI was worried, as always when my expectations are extremely high, but the film was just as amazing as I had hoped for.
There were things I loved about it and thing I hated about Drive, does that make sense? The soundtrack, the mood, performance by Gosling all fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThe extreme violence does keep you on the edge of your seat not knowing what will happen next, I just don't like watching violence so graphic and depicted so "cool"(and I hope it doesn't inspire anyone to buy a silver jacket with golden scorpion and imitate the brutality in the elevator scene in real life)
Drive reminded me of Scorsese’s classic Taxi Driver, the ambiguous antihero Travis fighting for justice, but his violent actions are not deemed correct by the rules of society.
I perfectly understand you Chris, I feel like that about many movies...
DeleteGuess it makes me a bad human being, but violence depicted in that way is just my thing... I don't even know why. I'm normally a pacifist, I don't like war and all that, but I like to explore and analyze the bad side everyone has inside himself... and I'm just a sucker for coolness and elegant action.
That's also why I hate a lot of mainstream American and Indian action movies, because the action is always so un-elegant and ugly.
That's a lot of love for Gosling! He is fantastic. It's the use of colour, the music and the cinematography that has stuck with me most though!
ReplyDeleteI don't know what stuck with me the most - or well, probably the three things I used as a title. But what has stuck with me is a mixture of everything that has been mentioned both in the comments an in my post, summing up to... awesomeness, I guess. Thanks for your comment, Pete.
DeleteNice review Mette. This was my favorite movie of last year. I bought it on blu ray as soon as it came out. Gosling was great in this movie. I haven't seen someone pull off that kind of quiet menace for a very long time. It reminded me of Steve McQueen or a young Eastwood or Bronson. Definitely a throw back style movie.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Griff. Actually, it reminded me of nothing because I haven't seen all these older movies it's been inspired by. But I'm glad the people who have those movies liked it.
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