Drive (2011), dir. Nicholas Winding Refn, starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks, run time 100 mins, cert 18.Ryan Gosling plays an unnamed character, referred to only as 'The Driver' in the credits, who is a part-time film stunt car driver/ part-time mechanic by day and a getaway car driver for hire by night.
He forms a close relationship with his neighbour Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son, whilst her husband is in jail. However, when Standard (Oscar Isaac) gets out, The Driver gets mixed up in his criminal dealings, after a threat is made towards Irene and her son if Standard does not settle a debt. As The Driver deals with the fallout from a heist-gone-wrong, things turn gruesome and the reasons for the film's 18 certificate become very apparent.
The whole look of this film is beautiful (anyone who hasn't got the latest issue of film magazine Little White Lies should do so while they can - the magazine has based the issue's entire aesthetic around Drive), as is the soundtrack - with music from artists including Cliff Martinez, College and the Chromatics, the sound is loosely 80's techno and, whilst this seems to contradict the film at first glance, it is precisely this juxtaposition that makes it work so well.
The car chases and crashes are exciting and very well edited, so the viewer is kept interested but also gets to see all the important parts as the chase plays out. The Driver stays calm in these scenes, but shows just enough nervousness so the audience isn't sure if he'll pull it off and walk away alive.
On a couple of occasions, the violence in the film seems gratuitous and almost parodic - but when it's done properly it's gruesomely chilling. The low budget for the film meant fake blood had to be used for filming, with more digitally added in post-production, but on a whole the violence and injuries seem realistic which makes the film more shocking.
Those expecting to see Ryan Gosling in a 'romantic hero' role, similar to the one he plays in The Notebook, or (more recently) Crazy, Stupid Love, will be disappointed and most likely very shocked, but he plays The Driver very well. At first he seems withdrawn but kind towards Irene and her son, but as the story progresses a much darker side of him emerges, which Gosling deals with well. This role further demonstrates Gosling's versatility and with The Ides of March coming out at the end of October, hopefully audiences will get plenty of opportunity to show just what he can do.
Overall, Drive is a cold but beautiful look into LA's crime culture and the lengths people will go to protect the ones they love. Although sometimes a bit slow and very gory, it's worth sticking with Drive and seeing it through to the end.
(Picture by starbright31 on Flickr)
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