The lone hero rides again

Rating: 7/10 (8 October 2011)

In a time where explosions and CGI dominate the American box-office, we are grateful to have at least one film this year that challenges the clichés and brings it to a style of its own.
That movie is "Drive", which for my money is a beautifully structured and extremely well-crafted film.
For anyone with doubts over whether Ryan Gosling can be a tough guy - the film blows away any doubts of that. Gosling is superb here as the nameless Driver, as his hero character is the perfect lone hero - a stranger who talks only when he needs too, who can exploit whatever he can however he can, and who never loses his cool no matter the odds - his stoic face hiding his emotions and determination. This silent hero is not too uncommon from Clint Eastwood's "Man with no Name", or lately George Clooney in "The American", but get him mad and the rage flies off from the screen and towards the audience - and he doesn't even do it shouting obscenities or other "heroic" rage clichés. He's emotionless and speechless, and that makes him an even more dangerous, unpredictable, and (for lack of a better word) cool character.
As for the rest of the supporting cast, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Oscar Isaac provide emotional balance to Gosling's calm performance, and Albert Brooks surprisingly sheds his comic image to become a brutal character to great effect. Ron Perlman and Christina Hendricks' appearances are somewhat brief, but they are still very good in their roles.
"Drive" is not exactly original. We've seen this "heist-gone-wrong" story millions of times in Hollywood and other countries. But you can still make a great movie out of an overused story if you do it well, and "Drive" does exactly that, and more. Director Nicolas Winding Refn's calm and focused touch gives the film a very old-school "noir" feel that exudes a dark and sombre atmosphere throughout the film - like it came straight out of the 1970's (what with the gritty, sombre thrillers that came out during that era). He also controls his actors wisely, and the action sequences are grounded in reality and unpredictability, making it even more exciting and gripping to watch. Hossein Amini's script also fleshes out the characters well, showing that when they talk less they reveal more. It's these long pauses between conversations that makes a character, so the many instances of silence between Gosling and other characters showcases the best of his acting ability. Amini also is no stranger to old-fashioned thrillers, having already penned the nostalgic "Shanghai" years ago - here he shows that he may be the screenwriter which can revive the noir genre.
The violence in the movie is bloody, unpredictable and somewhat raw. Moments of silence are shattered with gunshots or the revving of the car engines. The car chases in particular are brief, but they reminisce the good old days of solid car chase movies like "Bullitt" and "The French Connection". No CGI and no studio back-lot, no annoying music in the background, no shaking camera and no quick-cut editing - its old fashioned and that's the way I like it.
"Drive" is gorgeous to watch. Newton Thomas Sigel's cinematography is sublime and crisp, painting Los Angeles in a bright orange tone during the day and drifting shadows and light during the night. Especially in the car scenes when the lights and shadows go past Gosling's eyes and the scene in the elevator with Gosling and Mulligan. His work along with Cliff Martinez's very transcendent and ambient electronic score, combining with Refn's direction and Gosling's mysterious atmosphere all contribute to the hypnotic atmosphere of the film. That, and the film's retro soundtrack makes for a very mesmerizing movie to watch. The film is edited nicely in a slow but moving and intriguing pace that makes one concentrate on a subject all the way without having to experience quick cuts all the time like some Michael Bay popcorn flick.
"Drive" respects the audience and it makes them focus on the story and characters instead of the style that it is being presented upon. It makes you feel the film, and that's something that I don't experience often - you become engrossed in the characters' world and start caring for them instead of just awaiting the next big action scene.
In short, "Drive" is a great film. It's may be unoriginal in plot but it's beautifully crafted with class, respect and care by Refn, Amini, Gosling, Martinez, Sigel, and everyone else involved. It's old-school noir and it's a sign that the classic style of film-making is coming back. This is one mean muscle car of a movie.
Overall rating: 85/100