Not enough substance

Rating: 6/10 (16 July 2013)

Drive is considered an art-house action drama feature, a tribute to car film's of a bygone era and is inspired by many other retrospective films.
Writing and directing these types of movies like Drive (which pay respect to older features) is always high risk but handsomely pay off if they are produced well and have their potential fully realised (for example: Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof).
Somewhat regrettably, Drive did not work to great effect as a stylish, neo-noir film inspired by Grindhouse influences, because it lacked true substance.
I wanted to like the movie because one; it was recommended to me and two; because I rate director Nicolas Winding Refn very highly for his host of good films. For me, this wasn't his best, but I don't blame him entirely, in fact I blame in most part, the writer.
Drive has some terrific moments no doubt, which include some fantastic graphic scenes rich of violence and gore and a soundtrack that has a retro-stylish and 80s theme to it.
But I believe the film was too scarce and deficient in substance. When I say substance, I am referring to the interest in the story/plot, the characters and their development and the overall engagement with the film's audience.
I failed to connect with the characters, had little if no interest in what happened to them and was unmoved and uninspired by the story, which is a shame.
So this is where I blame the writer for not developing the characters enough. And I also blame the actors for not selling their part. It might be harsh but I believe it to be true. Unfortunately, I did not even feel much sympathy for the wife/mum Irene (Carey Mulligan) or her young son Benicio (Kaden Leos).
I didn't think too highly of The Diver's (Gosling's) performance either and that may have been due to the fact he was given very little dialogue. Gosling's limited dialogue worked in some scenes, but not in the most part because he failed to build any kind of relationship with me (the audience).
If you desire to see a superb Gosling performance, may I suggest Refn's 'Only God Forgives' which he both wrote and directed. Hint, hint. Now that film is a true visual masterpiece and draws you in brilliantly. Compelling viewing, to say the least. I also recommend watching 'The Place Beyond the Pines,' directed by Derek Cianfrance. Gosling is still a stunt driver but far more convincing in his role, and the movie itself is brilliant.
But I digress.
The styles and influences that Drive employs (including film noir and comic gore) have been quoted as "a bizarre concoction... reminiscent of David Lynch's Mulholland Drive... and Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, (reviews from the Cannes International Film Festival).
Really?
Mulholland Drive (a surrealist neo-noir film) and Pulp Fiction (a non linear, stylized black comedy/crime) are two masterpiece films that deserve to be recognised, as I'm sure they are, in their own right. Drive may attempt to draw on some of the styles and cinematic techniques from those two features, and does well in some aspects, but is not exactly reminiscent of them.
I have given Drive a rating of 6, one; because it does deliver some well orchestrated scenes, builds tension and is backed by a good soundtrack (credit to Cliff Martinez) and two; because you can't give half-ratings on IMDb. Ideally, I would have given it 5.5 but I am feeling generous today. Tomorrow I might have given it a 5.