An absolute masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (15 May 2012)

I had extremely high expectations when going into this movie, knowing the director from Bronson, and Ryan Gosling from excellent performances such as Lars and the Real Girl and Blue Valentine. But boy oh boy, were my expectations blown out of the water. From beginning to end, this film is completely captivating and memorizing. As soon as that first song begins to play over those pink lacy credits, I was lulled into a paradise world of cinema. The soundtrack and sound mix as well as the pace of the piece lulls you into a eerie and beautiful trance. This along with the extraordinary cinematography took me into a kind of dream world, where the lights are played like a piano, and seem to reflect how the characters are feeling at that particular moment.
The casting was perfect beyond perfect, Ryan Gosling disappears so that all we can see is the Driver, a deeply interesting character. There are some brilliant character moments in this film, which reveal so much by saying so little – its almost like poetry. A great moment for me was when the Driver is talking to Irene's son, Driver: is he a bad guy? How can you tell? Benicio: Because he is a shark. Driver: There's no good sharks? This plays along so well with the scorpion and the toad theme, of a scorpion's nature, a shark's nature, and the nature of the driver. Every character in this film is so deep and complex, something that I love more than anything in films, and I think something that is left out and forgotten in most films these days. The levels within Albert Brooks' character make him a 'bad guy' that is realistic, human and not altogether hated. Bryan Cranston's performance was one of my favourites, a very likable guy with a little wink of selfishness that makes him meet his end. That scene between the two is heartbreaking on so many different levels, as well as scary on many other levels. Standard and Blache are also very interesting characters, both beautifully casted as well.
The portrayal of violence in Drive is something I have never seen before. The film stays at the same pace and tone as the rest of the film, although such extreme things are happening. We are not influenced by a heighten of dramatic music or faster paced editing, everything stays on the same wavelength. This is a very good way of showing us that the driver has a very different mind state than most people, he is like a shark or a scorpion, in that these things are on the same level to him as any other spot of drama. This is what makes his relationship with Irene so special, as I feel, it is the only thing in his life that has ever moved him. It's the only game changer for him. Before this, he will crash cars and risk his life, and drive getaway cars, because, why not? What does he have to lose? He also has this feeling of invincibility, until Irene comes into the picture – and then he has a weakness and something to lose.
I must say I have become religious about this film after seeing it. I have seen it more times than I can count already, and would love nothing more than to shake Nicolas Winding Refn's hand and tell him he has made a masterpiece, an absolute classic that is up there with the best movies of all time.