Good Artsy Neo-Noir

Rating: 7/10 (10 March 2014)

Unnamed man (Ryan Gosling) is a skilled LA driver who takes jobs for whoever is willing to pay. He also works at an auto shop owned by Shannon (Bryan Cranston) who books him the driving jobs. He befriends new neighbors Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her kid. Irene's husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) gets released from prison. Standard is in debt to Albanian gangster Cook (James Biberi) who forces him to rob a pawnshop. The Driver steals a car to be the getaway driver for the sake of his neighbors. Things go wrong and Standard is shot. Cook's accomplice Blanche (Christina Hendricks) and the Driver escape with a massive amount of money.
It's not as fun as it should be. It's not as intense as it should be. Ryan Gosling's stoic demeanor may have something to do with that. Also the twists and turns with so many characters can be very confusing. It's an artsy neo-noir film which is not necessarily everybody's taste.