A treat in every sense

Rating: 8/10 (25 February 2016)

Despite having a reputation of a rather violent and action-packed flick, which it partly is, Drive excels in its magnificently distinctive portrayal of Los Angeles and the characters swarming inside it.
The story focuses on a driver (the exquisite Ryan Gosling, whose elegant performance revs the film from start to finish) who is a stunt driver by day and a getaway wheelman by night. His isolated, oppressive world finds light when he gets to know his neighbor (Carey Mulligan) and her son Benicio whose father is in prison. Human instinct creates bonds between these characters which ultimately triggers a chain of events that one has to see to believe.
Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn orchestrates the ensemble of editing, cinematography and set design impressively, leaving little for the viewer to whine about. Luscious color correction and ingeniously assembled retro-ish soundtrack make the film feel like a hot dog time-warped from the 80's. You just want gorge the whole thing. Seeing it only once won't do the trick.
Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman and Oscar Isaac (just to name a few) provide fire support for Gosling and together make for a stellar cast that might just be the best of 2011.
Hossein Amini's script isn't revolutionary in any way but gives each character a moment in the spotlight. Drive's protagonist doesn't get to blurt any Oscar-baity one-liners but his refreshingly bold dialogue is full of soul and meaning. It reflects on the whole film's atmosphere where a look in the eyes is worth of a million words.