Cool Ride

Rating: 9/10 (28 November 2011)

A lot of the reviews here keep mentioning the lack of acting in the movie, but what is never mentioned is that Ryan Gosling is playing a sociopath. 'Driver' is an isolated man without any real direction in his life, until some girl next door type gives him a glimpse into how to be a normal person. Even in his behavior was disconnected from how people work, unaware of what he was getting into, and indicated another level of being detached and sociopathic, but not in the Tony Montoya or Travis Bickle mold. (I and the friend I saw this with both think this was a much better written portrait of a disconnected, sociopathic character.)
The two scenes where this is evident is how his smiling face turns into a grimace when he tells a guy in a bar whom he previously did business with to go away or face the consequences, and when he looks up from his handiwork in the elevator as to say 'I'm Sorry/Surprise.. this is who I really am.' It is a fantastic scene and does show that the man can act, and the entire portrayal, and flow of the movie shows the writer can write.
The Driver knows what he is, and although the imagery is a bit heavy handed, it can be excused for everything else in this movie. It delivers in intrigue, car chases and aesthetic. The scene in the garage near the end of the movie is one of horrid honorable beauty. The only flaw I see is the mismatched soundtrack.
I suppose the American audience needs some loudmouth moron of a main character (The Rock, Vin Diesel, Steven Seagal) who acts as if they are aware they are in a movie, it's outcome and of everything going on around him(their identification with such characters says a lot about their own behavior and intelligence). I'm sorry audiences have to be led to every step, and can't fill in any gaps themselves.
And Layer Cake? Are you serious?