Stylish art-house thriller is very violent, but beautifully crafted and solidly entertaining

Rating: 8/10 (20 January 2017)

Drive is certainly no ordinary crime thriller with guns blazing and cars flying down the streets, it is a neo-noir thriller that proves you can make a visually mesmerizing vehicle of a film with such a less than inspiring plot. It sports vastly engrossing performances by an charismatic cast, a solidly competent screenplay based on a novel by James Sallis, an artful depiction of violence, and an alluring soundtrack to sit the ambient tone of it's dark revenge plot; and these aspects are safely guided by director Nicolas Winding Refn who clearly carries a unique vision. From the opening scene to the closing, it is clear that Refn is clearing aiming for a style-over-substance vibe as the film falls slightly seldom of narrative originality, while paying homages to classic crime flicks from the early days. But if this film proves anything, it is that Refn is capable of competently modernizing a progressively fading subgenre from the early age of Hollywood. This film stars Ryan Gosling as unnamed Los Angeles native who works part-time as a mechanic for auto salesman Shannon (played by Bryan Cranston), part-time as a Hollywood stunt driver while moonlighting a getaway driver during the night hours. Upon residing into his new apartment, he meets hot-shot blondie named Irene (played by Carey Mulligan) who's stuck taking of her seven-year old son Benicio alone while her husband Standard Gabriel (played by Oscar Isaac) is serving time in prison. Upon his release, Standard is back home and has reunited with his family. But he still owes several thousand dollars to gangsters Bernie Rose (played by Albert Brooks) and Nino (played by Ron Perlman). When a bank robbery attempt goes horribly wrong, Ryan Gosling must seek for justice against the vicious mobsters.
Nicolas Winding Refn isn't the strongest filmmaker when it comes to pedaling on an awe-inspiring story. But upon revitalizing the genre in an art-house fashion, Refn hits nearly all the right notes. Mixing elements of romance, action, corruption, and melancholy; Refn operates this movie with a stylish cinematic grandeur that makes it feel almost original even when it's not. In short, it makes an entertaining, if leisurely ride. Ryan Gosling steps into the foots of the unnamed protagonist who works as a mechanic, a stunt driver, as well as a getaway driver for criminals in the midst of robberies. Although little information is handed from his character, the opening scene featuring recklessly speeding through the streets of Los Angeles with a duo of robbers hunched in the backseat implies he has a shady past. And the story unfolds, the film slowly dissects the character's layers to score for a powerfully mysterious character with inner demons. When it comes down to facing off against the baddies in a vicious bloodbath, the film proceeds with a hypnotic tone supplemented with an ambient music score by Cliff Martinez that results is in a slow pace which is enough to turn off viewers who root for a more solidly moving storyline. Those rooting for a solid proceeding will be reasonably frustrated while others will be riveted by Refn's sweeping style along with the alluring electronic 80s-like soundtrack. The sporadic (and startling) burst of graphic violence that sprout out of nowhere many times throughout the second half can make this an uncomfortable sit through on the other hand, unless you are capable of stomaching gory carnage.
Ryan Gosling embraces a fascinating portrayal of the nameless protagonist elicits a very limited range of dialogue. In this case, he relies his performance vastly on his facial expressions over verbal communication bring out the emotions of his mysterious character. In shorts words, it's almost haunting. Although his character is understandably questionable in terms of his mean of justice, there is no denying that Gosling effectively channels for a role further from his usual nice guy typecasting. His chemistry with his blond neighbor played by Carey Mulligan is deeply moving for the time they spend on screen together, though arguably the bigger aspect of their bond is formed by the camaraderie between him and her young son Benicio who looks at him as a friendly figure. Oscar Isaac makes a competent (and likable) presence for all time he shares on screen. On the dark side of the moral compass is Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman who both turn in sinister portrayal as a duo of mobsters consumed with greed and violent tendencies, while cashing in a few pinches of humor. In fair results, these two decently sell themselves to their antagonistic roles. Bryan Cranston plays his role pretty safely, but perhaps nothing out of ordinary.
Drive is a stylish art-house thriller polished by an inspiring direction by Nicolas Winding Refn, striking visual heft, and an enthralling array of performances by an A-list cast. In short words, it is an entertaining ride for those who can swallow Refn's unique style of filmmaking. It is dark, it is slow, and it is extremely violent to hence it's R-rating. But most importantly, it demonstrates Nicolas Winding Refn operating on an admirable cinematic grandeur.