Super cool and violent thriller

Rating: Null/10 (3 November 2011)

Ryan Gosling has become one of the best actors at playing a really cool dude. The supporting cast is A list. Mad Men's Christina Hendricks has a brief but memorable role. Carey Mulligan is as always very good as the pitiful long suffering damsel in distress. Ryan plays a stunt driver / car repair man and part time getaway car driver. Carey plays his neighbor.
The driving is realistic - not jammed with special effects. This isn't a movie about car chases, it is a thriller. The music is retro and hypnotic. The muscle cars are quite in vogue for movies these days (eg. "In Time").
The story makes sense in its own little world. Even the heroism is kind of noble. There are one or two parts where one will ask why but it isn't about the story so much as the tension and the style. One thing I understand but don't like is the fact that movies these days have to be so violent. I guess if they aren't they seem boring to some. Actually if they cut out some of the excessive violence it would still work. Overall a very well made and absorbing thriller well worth a watch.