There's something about this film, it's hard to explain
‘Drive’ is an indie crime thriller directed by Nicholas Winding Refn, that came out in 2011 starring Ryan Gosling in the lead role. Despite the stellar cast and the popular genre, it still somehow managed to fly under everyone’s radar. It was a time where indie films weren’t given as much recognition as they deserved unless they won an academy award. Drive was a film that not many people saw but has slowly grown a cult following over the years. I consider it to be one of the most underrated films ever. Let’s find out why.
Synopsis:
The film follows ‘the man with the scorpion jacket’ or just, ‘The driver’(Ryan Gosling) who drives around criminals as a getaway wheelman. He is considered to be uptight about his rules but when it comes down to delivering, he is the best in the business. We begin the film by an impressive car chase sequence where the police are in pursuit of the driver but, he is able to outmaneuver them with his expert driving skills and by cunningly exploiting the street terrain. By day he works as a stunt man for movies and as a repairman at Shannon’s(Bryan Cranston) auto repair shop. He leads a pretty bleak and secluded life until he runs into his next-door neighbor Irene(Carrey Mulligan) and her son Benicio. He strikes up a really sweet relationship with them and warms up to them, which he has never done with anyone before. Gradually, the darkness in his life starts to fade away. He learns how to smile again after, who knows how long.
But all this goes for a toss when a week later, Irene’s husband(Oscar Issac) gets released from jail and the chaos that ensues from it changes his life forever.
How's the story?
The film seems pretty simplistic at the surface level but its emotions run deep. The characters are layered as well as the world they inhabit. They aren’t as fleshed out as the ones you see in mainstream films, but they don’t need to be. The minimal storytelling with a distinct style and visual cues are more than enough to get the point across.
The makers of the film employ masterful camera techniques and couple it with a euphoric soundtrack to make every scene just as memorable as the other. It is definitely “style over substance” and though, it doesn’t work for most films, here it is executed so perfectly that I had no complaints.
The pacing is fantastic thanks to some great editing work which keeps the film in constant motion. Even though it gets a bit slow after the opening, it never felt as if it was boring or dragging on for too long.
How are the performances?
The performances are all top-notch. This was surprisingly the first Ryan Gosling film I ever saw and boy, was I in for a surprise! He is a tremendous talent and this film just goes to show the level of emotion he can emit with minimal dialogue and tempered expressions. There is a particular fight scene where the focus shifts on his face, no words are spoken, but you get what is going on in his character’s mind perfectly. I found his character to be very interesting but we get no background on him, it is up to the viewer to decipher what must’ve happened to him in the past, through his current actions and decisions.
Bryan Cranston is an actor who delivers every time, and it is no different in his performance as the drive’s only well-wisher and mentor Shanon. His character is endearing but has gone through his fair share of bad luck. Being limp in one leg, he places his hopes of getting out of the slump on the driver’s skills and enters him into a race. There is a clear father-son dynamic between his character and the driver, and both actors work very well together.
Carrey Mulligan, Oscar Issac, Ron Pearlman, and Albert Brooks are all great in their roles as well, making their characters feel lived-in and three dimensional.
How's the cinematography?
The film’s use of color and lighting is downright gorgeous. Almost all shots are filled with blue and red elements that create a cohesive visual story. Blue is used to highlight calmness and stability, while reds are used to signify conflict and uncertainty. The shots are extremely well lit too, producing some of the most striking imagery you will see in any film. It’s simply beautiful when it comes down to visuals.
What about the soundtrack?
As I mentioned earlier, the music of this film is perfection and is used with great effect. The whole soundtrack has a very, 80’s retro mixed with techno vibe, which works really well with the essence of this film. Whether it is the main theme “A real hero” which encapsulates the central theme of the story, or Kavinsky’s ‘Night Call’ which blasts over the Los Angeles skyline during the opening credits, giving the environment a futuristic feel. One of the best intros I have ever heard in a film like this. I still sometimes listen to the soundtrack when I am driving alone at night.
Are the action scenes any good?
The action scenes are exhilarating, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The car chases are fast and the camera always sits tight on the action so that the viewer actually knows what is happening on the screen. While many action films would throw flashy CGI in your face, Drive’s action scenes feel grounded, with real cars zipping at high speeds on the freeway. In a particular scene, the camera gives the view of the driver’s seat so that we get a real sense of the tension in the atmosphere.
What about the direction?
Nicolas Winding Refn received the well deserved Cannes Best Director Award for this film and the decisions he makes narrative-wise are extremely praiseworthy. Even though the plot is simple and predictable; the character development is anything but. He surprises you with his stylistic choices in the best possible way with the use of metaphors and foreshadowing, taking you on a one and a half-hour joy ride!
I honestly think this film should be studied religiously in film schools by aspiring directors.
Final Thoughts
Drive is a masterpiece in every sense of the word in my book. When it came out, the movie-going audience left the theaters with a sour taste in their mouths, because the film was inaptly marketed and the trailer promised something else entirely from what it actually is. It is a film that doesn’t follow traditional storytelling norms of the action film genre but turns it on its head and gives a very minimal but stylistic makeover.
The performances are fantastic, the film looks visually stunning, and even though the plot is a slow burn the storytelling is riveting, and takes unexpected turns.
The first time I saw the film, I kept on thinking about it for literal days, and recently when I rewatched the film years later to write this review, I still found myself thinking about it, discovering new aspects to it which I never noticed before.
Unlike every other time I have posted a review, I haven’t attached the trailer for this, because it is extremely misleading. I want everyone reading this review to watch Drive with an open mind and come back here to let me know what you thought of it in the comments below.
Fan of the crime genre, check out my SPOILER review of 2020's best show, "Pataal Lok' by clicking here!
Drive's Soundtrack:
Komentarze