Drive My Car

"Drive"

Actor Ryan Gosling had quite a big year for himself in 2011.  The actor proved he has range.  He was in the romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid Love and worked with Mr. George Clooney in the political thriller The Ides of March.  Ever since Gosling was nominated back in 2006 for a Best Actor for his work on Half Nelson his career has really taken off.  The roles he is choosing to do are nothing alike and the actor has done a fine job not allowing himself to become typecast.  In Nicholas Winding Refin's Drive we are treated to another fine performance from the thirty-one year old.

The main character on the film is credited as "Driver" (Gosling) although his name is never actually mentioned.  In case you haven't figured out by the title of the film and the main character's name, this film is about driving.  And Driver really likes to drive.  He is a Hollywood stunt driver by day and a getaway driver by night.  This guy is especially good at his job on both ends.  He mostly keeps to himself and is hardly willing to talk unless it's absolutely necessary.   Driver's life seemed to be going alright.  That is until he becomes friends with Irene (Cary Mulligan,) his neighbor from down the hall.

When Irene's husband, Standard (Oscar Issac) returns home after being released from prison it turns out that some people, violent people, have been waiting for him.  Standard has a debt to pay before he can get his life back on track with Irene and their son.  Driver reluctantly agrees to do a heist with Standard.  The job gets botched, Standard is killed, and Driver has a duffel bag full of cash.  From there the story shifts into high gear with Driver committing brutal acts of violence to anyone who crosses his path.  All he wants to do is return the money to mobsters Bernie (Albert Brooks) and Nino (Ron Pearlman) and keep Irene safe.

Drive works on a number of levels.  There's a certain complexity to Driver's character that Gosling understands.  His character does not have a wide range of emotions but yet he is able communicate exactly what Driver is feeling and thinking to the audience.  A certain presence follows Gosling when he is on screen.  You just know that what Gosling is bringing to this character is no easy feat.

The way the screenplay is constructed it acts as though Drive could almost be two separate films.  Everything prior to Standard's big blunder could have been one short film.  The relationship that Irene and Driver have together is somewhat clichéd but Gosling and Mulligan do have pleasing chemistry together.  And then when Driver is seeking revenge for the multiple attempts on his life over this bag of money the film changes into something completely different.  Refin has the ability to handle this change in tone while still being able to hold some level of consistency to the film's characters.

There are a lot of times I find myself annoyed with the music choices directors pick for their films.  The Coen Brothers and Scorsese have exceptional understandings of how songs can affect the mood of a scene.  Refin's choices for Drive's soundtrack are along those same lines.  The pieces we hear add a new and different layer to the scenes.  The soundtrack plays a character in the film too.

Due to its graphic (but over the top) violence Drive will be a definite turn off for some.  However, Refin has put together a strong character driven piece with skillful performances from his very talented cast.  Brooks plays a fantastically illusive villain while Gosling is subtle but intense in his performance throughout the film.  While watching this film it's clear that at some point in Refin's life he fell in love with the city of Los Angeles.  I also get the impression that he has seen quite a bit of cinema because at times this film comes off as something that could have been from the 1980's.  This is only Refin's third feature and you just know that he has a promising career ahead of him.  The same can be said for Gosling.  The two are currently working on another project together which hopefully will deliver on the levels as Drive.  Buckle up and lock the doors because this ride doesn't come with air bags.