A friend described this as "Shane in a Michael Mann skin" and I'm inclined to agree.

Rating: 8/10 (21 January 2013)

Powered by a superficially tranquil energy, this Western-on-wheels story has much bubbling beneath its sleek, taciturn outer layers, much like its nameless protagonist. The long, subdued stretches that characterise the narrative serve to make the sparse scenes of action and romance all the more savage, stirring, and memorable when they arrive. Although the detached, resolute anti-hero speaks sparsely and softly, a lot is conveyed of him through his barely spoken affection and regard for his lone mum neighbour and the ruthless, brutal lengths he pursues to keep her from the claws of the mobsters he finds himself entangled with. As such, this film works not only as a gritty crime drama and atypically touching love story but also as an engaging character study which relies on the aforementioned elements to reveal the protagonist's (and, to a lesser extent, the support cast's) multiple layers. Is he, as the excellent synth soundtrack suggests, a "real hero", a troubled and tortured bloke hanging by a thread, or some semi-integrated blend of both?
At once haunting, arresting, and poignant, Drive is the cinematic equivalent of the very best synthpop: cool, celestial craftsmanship punctuated by harsh, pounding beats, both belying the raw, organic heart pulsing at its core.