This film is not for everyone

Rating: 10/10 (14 December 2011)

In looking at the reviews it appears you are going to love or hate Drive. If you don't like art-house style independent films, you will probably not like this movie. Yes, it has action. Yes, it has violence. Yes, it does have star-power. But this is not a blockbuster film and the vision for Drive was obviously not compromised in order to give it a broad appeal.
I would describe this as a cross somewhere between Schrader's American Gigolo and Malick's Days of Heaven, both films came to mind when watching it. You have a main character you are not told much about, thank god! Too much back-story would ruin this film. I think one of its strengths is its ability to keep you in the moment, communicating all you need to know for the scene. The characters and story are communicated with minimal dialogue, the performances very understated and restrained. How it spoke to me was in a perfect blend of the score and the cinematography (one of the major criticisms of Days of Heaven) with the excellent performances that give it all a perfect pitch, even those who hate the movie cannot deny the shots are visually stunning. It is one of those films that stay with you, haunt you, because it delves in to grab you emotionally and invest you in such a profound way that the film lives on in you, I still can't shake this film. Driver now forever exists in the reality of my psyche cruising the LA streets.
I have to marvel at any film that can affect me the way Drive did. The film accomplishes so much with so little, it is truly a masterpiece in my opinion.
I will add that I think the division over the quality of this film lies in viewers who seek visceral experiences from film and those who don't and prefer "entertainment" and films that are plot driven and offer more exposition. Rarely do you find films that seek to give the visceral experience, that seek to leave an impression on the viewer. If you prefer, and like myself even hunger for, impression over the normal exposition, you are going to LOVE this film.