Drive

Drive is a visceral treat where lighting, pace and sound combine to place you into the head of a Hollywood stunt driver. We know nothing of this man (Ryan Gosling) except for the fact that he showed up one day at the auto shop of a man named Shannon (Bryan Cranston) and asked for a job. Shannon has been exploiting him ever since. Not only is “Driver” a good mechanic but he’s an excellent driver as well. Shannon has a side business providing cars for motion pictures and his protégé fits right in. He’s game for anything and executes his stunts with precision, skill and fearlessness. Shannon, naturally, takes a cut on all his jobs.
 
Driver lives a lean existence in a high rise apartment overlooking the city of Los Angeles. Not much of a sleeper he will often roam the city at night with only his music for company. Without explanation we learn that he is sometimes a wheelman for petty criminals and thieves. He has a meticulous process and a code and always calls his own shots. He is very good at what he does and he has no intention of getting caught. The man is unflappable and has nerves of steel.
 
Down the hall from him lives a pretty woman (Carey Mulligan) who is raising her son alone because her husband is away in prison. They begin a chaste relationship but there is an obvious affection there. He helps her out with a car problem and becomes attached to her son. He soon becomes very protective of them and enjoys their company. It is the first time we ever see him smile or open up.
 
When Irene’s husband is released from prison the driver steps out of the picture and respects the husbands place. Even the husband, no matter what his suspicions, can see that he is an honorable man. He is happy that someone was looking out for his wife and kid no matter what the attraction. But unfortunately Standard (Oscar Isaac) brings home a lot of baggage with him from prison. He is being pressured to perform a robbery in order to pay off a prison debt. To protect Irene and Benicio from further threats the driver offers to help him pay off his obligation to get keep Benicio and Irene safe. He becomes a wheelman for a robbery one more time.
 
This film is so stylish and Gosling is the epitome of cool. I could easily see this as a franchise character for him. The movie has that European feel where violence is not only shown, but felt and Carey and Ryan have a nice palatable chemistry. I also enjoyed seeing a different side of Los Angeles. Downtown can be both beautiful and dilapidated. It all depends on where you look; the director, Nicolas Winding Refn shows us both sides.

One surprising performance is when Albert Brooks drops his funny man image and displays his dark side as a brutal ex- Hollywood producer with a very nasty business partner (Ron Perlman). Albert Brooks makes an excellent villain and shows the amoral callousness of a man who only loves money. This film may open up a whole new world for him. I especially was impressed with his final scene with Bryan Cranston. I’ll never forget the emotional notes played in that scene ranging from savageness to compassion. Albert Brooks really stands out in this role.

I liked this film, especially the way it used lighting to convey the driver’s emotions. The directing is to be commended for it’s mastery of timing and tone. Ryan Gosling says little in the film so these clues tell us what we need to know. Whether it’s speeding up or slowing down, the style of the film tells us what Gosling’s blue eyes do not. There is so much more to learn about him. I’d love to see a sequel to this film.

Rating: First Run Style and substance