More than I'd Ever Hoped For

Rating: 9/10 (25 February 2012)

An unequivocally masterful film that holds on its shoulders the most well rounded ensemble cast, a rising star director, and pure writing genius. "Drive" is by far the coolest, most disturbing, retro-iest, out- of-this-world, down-to-earth, heart-breaking, something-to-believe in film I've ever seen. From the strategic and precise composition of every shot to the ambiguity of all that is said or done, each moment drips with intensity and the burden of pointed meaning.
Nicolas Winding Refn WILL BE the next tour-de-force name in cinema directing; his indie-quirks juxtaposed with exploitation conventions and oddly subtle and over-the-top choice in scoring, leaves an unsettling reality in its wake. Though it may make audiences squirm uncomfortably in their seats, we are voyeurs in this plot-- silently being wrenched back and forth, and often just watching, like their lives are our sick- documentary. Refn is in command of not only his film, but his audiences' sanity.
Paired with Refn, Gosling is at the height of his big-screen brilliance. Where many thought Blue Valentine, or Ides of March fully expressed the range of his talent, "Drive" shows us more than simply his talent. First hand viewings of Ryan Gosling's heart and soul and beauty are bought for only $12 at a theater; and believe me, it's worth every penny. The utter magnificence of his performance leaves every viewer with a tender smile, or a soft-spot for redemption. His gritty moments and his vulnerability are equally as wrenching. But it was his sincere chemistry with Carey Mulligan that sold the film.
Mulligan, always the delicate flower of her films, is firm without falsity, and truthfully gracious. Her subtle and quiet performance stole several moments of the film, and left the audience wondering what they had just witnessed. The new-found passion of Mulligan as a performer is simply breath-taking.
Cranston, Brooks and Perlman-- all the underscores of evil-- sold themselves with poise and ease; their performances complemented the film's intent flawlessly. In fact, the only actress I was disappointed in was Christina Hendricks, who let her body do the acting, and left her face almost plastic at several points in the adventurous plot.
As successful as the faux-80's, name-dropping, subtly-elegant screenplay was the original score by Cliff Martinez (inspired by '80s- style synth pop) was almost better. If this score doesn't find its way into your head on repeat, then nothing will. All in all, the film can attribute much of its success to the minimalist dialogue, and the packed-script. Each moment was written to fall off the screen and stomp on the audience.
Colors and cars and women and blood. Not a moment was for show, and each word was delicately chosen to the full extent of its meaning. I can hardly imagine this having ever been a novel-- no words could capture what happened between the lines, and in the lead's eyes. Overall, a must-see-- A MUST-see. If you haven't seen you are not a movie-fan or even appreciator. You must-see this film.