a thrill ride of style, sound, romance, and emotion

Rating: 10/10 (27 February 2012)

If I had read the script to "Drive" before seeing the film, I'm convinced I would never have walked into the theater at all. I'm not saying the dialog is cheesy or poorI'm saying that the driving force (poor pun, I know) behind "Drive" is the immense emotion conveyed by all of the actors and actresses in the film and the use of soundtrack and sound mixing/editing to keep intensity at a high and an atmosphere that almost exceeds the powerful images on the screen.
"Drive" is the story about a heist driver (played by Ryan Gosling) who gets caught up in something much bigger than chauffeuring criminals away from the police. The Driver (as his real name is never given) has lived a rather organized and careful life, until he starts to grow closer to his apartment neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son Benicio.
Irene is married to Standard, a former criminal who returns from jail a few weeks after The Driver and Irene have started to become close. Standard tries to return to his home a new and free man, but his past follows him close. One day, The Driver comes across Standard bleeding and scarred in the garage of the apartment complex, and he finds out Standard has some debts that need to be paid. When that threat turns towards Irene and Benicio, The Driver decides it's time to give Standard the services he has given to many criminals before.
For the first half of "Drive," there is a quiet and subtle atmosphere. The Driver is shy and quiet and the relationship between Irene and him is full of chemistry, yet a seemingly dull relationship. However, the lulls and silences between the two are never awkward or forced. The chemistry between Gosling and Mulligan is very strong and makes the decisions and sacrifices The Driver will make for Irene completely believable and realistic.
For the quiet and lowered tone of the first half of the film, there is a completely opposite and raw atmosphere for the second half of the film. During a scene that has no extreme relevance to the plot, an old passenger of The Driver sees him at the counter of a diner and sits next to him, discussing the possibilities of a new job. Suddenly, the rather reserved and controlled driver turns to the man and tells him "Why don't you shut it or I will knock out all your teeth and shut it for you." This is the longest sentence The Driver has delivered to this point and a sign that things are about to change drastically.
As you can imagine, the heist with Standard doesn't go exactly according to planto say the least. The Driver is now thrown into a situation where he must defend himself along with the woman and little boy he cares about so much in a manner he doesn't prefer: with violence and weapons.
I don't want to dig any deeper into the plot, but I can tell you the second half of the film becomes extremely violent, and The Driver becomes a controlled madman, all from the pressure and desire to protect the two new lives he has become so fond of.
As I mentioned before, much of this must be credited to the amazing performance of Ryan Gosling. For easily having the most screen time in the film, Gosling may barely have the most dialogue. Much of what The Driver is feeling and thinking is established from the facial and body expressions expressed by Gosling. It is rather amazing to see and understand the slight differences in The Driver's tone from a slight squint or flare from Gosling.
The film's director, Nicolas Winding Refn (who won the Best Director award at Cannes for this film), is never afraid to hold out a shot or sequence longer than need be. Whether it be heist sequence or a simple conversation between Gosling and Mulligan, Refn holds many shots and close-ups much longer than what would be customary. This is extremely beneficial to the film, as these long takes and long shots allow for the actors and actresses to display the characters' humanity and morality without over-exaggeration.
Another credit should be given to Bryan Cranston as The Driver's close friend and auto shop boss, Shannon. Cranston, with a slow gimp and charming/humanistic quality, creates a very sympathetic character in Shannon and allows the audience to connect with someone a little more outgoing than The Driver and Irene. His character becomes essential to the tone of the film, and his presence is felt throughout.
The other strong suit of this film, as mentioned before, is the soundtrack and sound mixing/editing of the film. The second half of the film changes rapidly in images and sequences, but also in the sound effect department; gunshots are deafening, tires squeak in high pitches and volumes, and punch impacts and broken bones make you cringe. The effect from this is substantial on the film, as the impact of the scene on the audience would be less significant if the sound effects weren't realistic and at a high level of volume.
Likewise, the soundtrack and score of the film is extremely important. With an '80s feel to style and story, the soundtrack reflects this brilliantly in bassy and driving (again, bad pun) rhythms that are melodic and eerie to the shots on screen. One particular song ("A Real Hero" by College feat. Electric Youth) becomes a sound motif, rising up at silent montages of Gosling driving or Mulligan walking through the apartment hallways. The lyrics "you have come to be a real human being, and a real hero" echo throughout the theater, encapsulating so much of the narrative on the screen...
Read the entire review at CustodianFilmCritic.com