Adequate

Rating: 5/10 (7 February 2012)

This movie did not match its hype. Gosling is wasted in this movie. He is a Clint Eastwood cowboy cloned into a modern setting. His character is so enigmatic, he comes off as a boring and possibly "challenged." Because he does not stand for anything, it is hard to care about him, making what should be a climactic ending, an emotionless exercise for the viewer. Oddly, his early speech about being loyal for exactly five minutes to the people who employ him to drive them from crime scenes is not foreshadowing of a later plot development but banal banter to build style. The violence is extreme and off-putting. It detracted from the story and caused you not to root for the "hero." Clint Eastwood's success in this same type of role is because he fostered respect, aiming his cruelty to those who deserved it and when it was meted out, it was not shown in explicit form. There was an extended, gratuitous scene of topless women acting like no women would act under the circumstances. Again, it was a distraction, not an attribute of the movie. I did like Bryan "Hal from Malcolm in the Middle" Cranson. How could you not. Finally, what was that with Albert Brooks as the godfather? Please! A watchable movie that you would not likely watch a second time.