An action film for those who usually don't like action films

Rating: 9/10 (22 June 2012)

"Drive " is a film, very much about mood and style, that exceeds the usual genre expectations for action films. It's an action / art film.. Ryan Gosling plays a quiet, loner, movie stunt driver and mechanic, simply known as driver. He occasionally works as a getaway driver for robberies. He meets and begins to fall for his attractive female neighbor, who's husband is in prison. Driver befriends this woman's son. Her husband shortly returns home from prison and driver decides to help him out with his problem. Unfortunately, this problem involves gangsters.
I'm not a fan of the action genre, but this film set in LA, impressed me with it's style, mood and use of music. The cinematography is very creative an effective. I found myself absorbed from beginning to end. The opening robbery is definitely an adrenalin rush. "Drive" works as action, drama, thriller and mystery. Driver portrays the loner protagonist character, as Clint Eastwood was in the Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns of the 1960's. As characters, driver and his female neighbor have little dialogue, which lends itself to building mood. The minimalist music score is very effective to enhance mood.
Overall, "Drive" is a film that pays homage to noir mythology and combines it with modern day extreme violence, which some may not find a likable combination. I was a little shocked by the brutal scenes of violence, but these served for character.
"Drive" was nominated for the Palm De Or and Best Director at The Cannes Film Festival, winning for Best Director.