It revives the traditional notion of a hero, created by the world he inahabits.

Rating: Null/10 (30 October 2013)

In most fairy tales of all sorts, there will always be the hero with a uniqueness that deems him worthy of transgressing the limits of that world. Drive has such a hero, an unnamed Driver (Gosling), who plays stuntman by day and getaway driver by night, leaving his identity a mystery. A hero who just comes out of the blue. To understand the driver, several scenes are shot within the interior of the car, giving the audience a more authentic thrill within the tension, the drama, and the romance this hero feels in his moments of self-reflection. The world of DRIVE may look normal, but merely in its presentation of Los Angeles as the setting. The reality of it is that of a fantasy realm, endowed with all sorts of qualities that deem it this magical essence. The plot is simple within the usual heist gone wrong film, although it's the character study element which defines the concept of the film. It's not merely about fast cars, or epic chase scenes. With no official name, the driver, at the behest of his mentor, Shannon (Cranston) is called the kid. His nature is silent, and subtle, as he roams the streets of Los Angeles, with a calmness that reminds many of a young Clint Eastwood roaming an immoral world, yet ready to make his mark.
Like any hero, they have loved ones. Those most precious to him will never be left out of the game, regardless of their innocence. The Driver' next door neighbor, Irene (Mulligan) and her son Benicio (Leos) bring out the good within his character, giving him purpose within the isolated existence he lives. Within time, the three bond into a family that is easily torn with the arrival of Irene's convict husband Standard (Isaac).The return of this calm, but obviously unstable character upsets the balance, and with making matters worse has debts left to pay. With no options the Driver offers his help, and this is where it turns to the failed robbery element of the story, spanning into multiple directions, leaving the audience wondering where it will end.
The whole concept of DRIVE is not simple. In fact, the story is just part of the substance that contributes to its essence. If anything the meaning derives from the character's own moral choices, the paths they take, and where it all leads them. In a way, DRIVE is an exploration into the human condition, as we all make our own choices in a world that is purely defined by uncertainty that we pursue the methodology of our choices, thus acquiring some form of purpose. As natural as it may seem for us, at some point in our journey of life we reach a point where it becomes routine. It is only when the balance is upset, that new paths are open that we act and define who we are, good or bad. With our Driver, the roads are endless, that's what makes his hero that much more unique, apart from his ability to drive.
Like a fairy tale, DRIVE derives its influence from a sorted mystical element that it no longer feels as the audience is watching a crime film. The crime is irrelevant in comparison to the themes, the flawed characters, and the overall tone that strengthens the film at the point where the viewer no longer feels excited but sad that it must end. It touches the soul on a whole new level, making one admire the character of the Driver as he rides away relying on fate, and fate alone to judge his direction. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and adapted from the James Sallis novel of the same name, DRIVE triumphs as a masterpiece of rigorous determination in exploring the lone hero archetype. The quiet one, the noble avenger, a hero that emerges out of nowhere pursuing justice and protecting innocence in a world that respects neither. Along with the direction, the performances of the cast with short dialogue and subtle calmness, each one embodies the uniqueness of the character, good or bad that the only thing that comes to mind is watch, regardless of the outcome. Several critics have been critical of the casting of Carry Mulligan as Iren, considering it as a mismatch. In her defense, the presence of her own innocence is what strengthens her performance, as she is portrayed with the same purity of Marianne Koch in A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, as well as her son Benicio, resembling the untainted innocent of the Christ child and the holy mother. Ryan Gosling's Driver is the guardian, and the hero we all admire, knowing his only purpose is justice, and nothing less, as he further delivers those from the evils of a world that will soon know of his existence, thus granting him the immortality of "A Real Hero."