Intense. Justit'swellit's intense.

Rating: 8/10 (9 November 2011)

It is so rare that a film that appears to borrow so much of its material from an array of modern American classics can prove to be a brilliantly original piece of cinema in its own right. But, via the sure handedness of unknown Danish director Nicholas Winding Refn, this is exactly what Drive accomplishes. Just how many allusions to classics does this film have? Well, fusing Travis Bickle and Fight Club's Narrator gives you the skeleton of our main character. While many liken the violence to Tarantino, I saw more respect being paid to early Stone and De Palma (if the first thing that came to mind was the chainsaw scene in Scarface, you're on the right track). And yet, the moral of the story (or lack thereof) screams of QT. As for visuals, think Blade Runner, only more grounded in reality, while the tone and pacing reflect my top two favourite Kubrick films.
Ryan Gosling is The Driver, a professional stuntman who puts his skills to real use when moonlighting as a getaway driver for hire. He is a man of few words; disengaged from society but possessing an innate need to punish those who deserve it, keeping the universe in balance. Feeling pity for neighbour Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her recently paroled husband Standard (Oscar Isaac), he helps the latter perform a robbery so Standard can get his financial life back on track. But when the heist goes wrong and The Driver is left with a bounty he doesn't even want, the local gangsters Standard was working for are none too pleased.
The overall feel of the film is one of absolute dread. Just when you get the impression that a newly introduced character is going to be a key player in the story, they get dealt with, often in a brutal, almost sadistic manner. Make no mistake; Drive is extremely gory and certainly not recommended to anyone with a weak stomach. Deaths are not only extreme, but also extremely innovative. Conventional weapons like pistols and shotguns are overshadowed by the creative use of everyday items like hammers, shaving utensils and elevators. But in seriousness, the film's physically graphic nature helps build a paranoid tone, giving the impression that danger lurks in both darkness and plain sight.
Often, the excruciating build up to an event is more engaging than the action itself, and this is another area in which Drive excels. Not unlike The Shining, this film likes to tease the viewer by forming immense tension, only to have the scene end abruptly or without resolution. This is not a letdown, but rather a strength, as it climbs towards an inevitable climax in which all belated questions are answered, albeit with a touch of ambiguity. As with Eyes Wide Shut, this movie plods along with long pauses between pieces of dialogue, preferring to let facial expressions tell the story. Again, I found this to be a great tension-builder, but anyone who doesn't like their films too slow, or too violent, probably won't enjoy Drive.
The music and cinematography combine to create an absorbing experience for the viewer. The film is obviously set in the present day, but the soundtrack (despite consisting mostly of music released this year) has a distinct 1980s feel to it. That might sound stupid, but you'll know what I'm talking about with a quick search of the standout tracks. Indulgent, panoramic shots of Los Angeles in all its neon glory give the film a neo-noir finish that is hard to criticise, if only for the sheer beauty of the imagery.
Many months before its release, it was a relief to hear that Drive was no longer going to be made as a blockbuster, with an independent studio picking it up instead. This change in direction gave the film greater scope for character development, which it delivered. Even at times when Refn appears tempted to turn it into another Fast and the Furious, he treats us to just enough testosterone to ensure we don't get carried away and lose sight of the bigger picture. Finally, with all the critical praise being heaped upon Drive, one might look beyond the events of the film and try to find a moral. Personally, this does not appear to be a film with a message. It simply exists to take the audience for a ride; an absorbing tale of a good guy who's bad, some bad guys who are worse, and an unrelenting world that will not rest until all men have paid it their debt.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review.*