Intense action with human emotional depth

Rating: 8/10 (23 December 2011)

At first look, "Drive" seems like a typical action movie with car chases and and bad guys, fortunately that is not the only aspect of this movie that contributes to its success.
Firstly, it is considered and action movie because of its film nature, as it basically evolves around a man that get involved in mob business. The car chases are well done, and especially not over done. Special effects are not used excessively which contributes to the both realistic and admiring atmosphere of Los Angeles. The story is overall well structured and every character finds their specific role in the movie, without extensive narration.
Secondly, this movie, surprisingly, reaches an emotional depth that acted as a major factor to improve both the story and intensity of the film. The protagonist is a silent but passionate character, which can be very hard to succeed with, but Ryan Gosling manages to portray a believable yet admirable performance. Alone, his emotional state provides the building block for his relationships with the secondary characters. Mixed with the cinematography, specifically the music and script, this film goes beyond the common 'car chase' and bonds with human sentiment.