LET'S TALK ABOUT DRIVE

DRIVE

2011 - 100 minutes - Crime/Drama
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn 
Country: United States
IMDB: 7.9
Metacritic: 78
RT: 93%

CinemaChagrin's Rating: 7/10
EpicEnthusiast's Rating: 9/10

(a couple very minor spoilers below)

Hey everybody, CC here. Todaymy colleague EE and I are going to have a conversation about Drive. He's big fan, me not so much. We'll talk about what we like about the film, what we (I) don't like about it, and give you a good idea of what to expect from Drive.

CC: EE initially recommended this film to me. I take his recommendations very seriously, so I watched it the first chance I got, which happened to be in a retro movie theater in Brussels, Belgium. Watching a film on the big screen is always the best way to go. And although I did enjoy the movie overall, I also had some big qualms with it. What about you, EE?

EE: Personally, I would have loved to see Drive in theaters. Visually it's one of the most appealing films I've ever seen. We're immediately immersed in an absorbing, modern atmosphere, and the bright lights of Los Angeles are displayed throughout. The cinematography is masterful. It spotlights the action using unique camera angles, and emphasized views of the actors. (Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, etc.) It features an upbeat, techno-based soundtrack that molds perfectly with the story. However, what I love most about Drive is the subtle, yet extraordinary partnership between the two main characters. 

CC: I have to agree with EE on a lot of his points - Drive actually has a lot of elements that really appealed to me. For one, it looks gorgeous. Shot in neo-noir style featuring bright neon colors and long shots, the film is definitely a beauty. The accompanying 80's-esque soundtrack is also just plain awesome and perfectly embodies the general moodiness of the film. Los Angeles looks and feels cool in Drive, especially the nighttime scenes (which evoke a noir feel). The actual driving/chase scenes are extremely well done and incredibly tense. I just wish there was more of them! I felt the title of the film was a misnomer of sorts, as not a whole lot of actual driving takes place. 

EE: So if the title were different, the lack of car chases would be acceptable? 

CC: Haha, that's really only a minor quibble. But the whole title of the film is Drive, after all, so I was hoping for a little more in that department. I'm always a big fan of a good car chase. What really irked me about the film is that I felt that not a lot really went on aside from the visuals on screen. The main lead is essentially a static character and pretty unlikeable, and there is really no one to root for in this film. All in my humble opinion, of course! 

EE: Alright first of all, the car chases that did make it into the film should have satisfied you, because they were extremely well done. Second and more importantly, The Driver (Ryan Gosling) was in fact static... before he met Irene (Carey Mulligan) The entire story is based upon how he meets her and feels something he never has before. He suddenly feels like he needs to protect her and her son Benicio. He's a stone cold badass that is transformed and captivated by the untouched feeling of connection. 

Carey Mulligan and Ryan Gosling in Drive

CC: I don't really feel like Drive captured any sort of relationship between The Driver and Irene/Benicio, unspoken or otherwise. I guess you could say that Ryan Gosling's irritatingly imperceptible smirk could qualify as emotional involvement, but I disagree. If one says the film was attempting a "neo-noir" style, then I think it failed in this regard. The Driver in no way resembles a classic noir male lead (not necessarily an issue), but he doesn't convey much of anything when so much of the film supposedly relies on the relationship between him and Irene/Benicio. One of my favorite neo-noirs, the classic science fiction film Blade Runner, features a flat and emotionless protagonist just like Drive. However, the visuals of Blade Runner serve as the primary focus of the film while answering insightful philosophical questions. Drive, on the other hand, attempts to use visuals to portray emotional connections. I think it failed in this regard. 

EE: You don't always need dialogue to convey emotions CC. Have you ever just looked at someone and smiled for no apparent reason? If you haven't, I feel bad for you son, because you've got 99 feelings, but love ain't one. But seriously, sometimes you just simply don't need words. With proper camera work and strong actors, you can mimic a true connection. To me, it's clear that both sides really enjoyed spending time with each other, and not just for their looks. Locking of the eyes and simultaneous smiles depict a rare and meaningful relation. Let's also keep in mind that she is married here. So even though she knows that her husband isn't the guy for her, she can't just jump all over The Driver. (like most girls would like to) 

CC: I'm glad you brought up looks, because lots of movies tend to throw to very attractive leads in a situation with minimal exposition/dialogue, and expect the audience to "create" an emotional connection out of thin air. I think Drive is somewhat guilty of this. 

EE: Let's give Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan some credit here. If acting consisted of just being attractive and starring at other attractive people, I'd be an actor myself. It doesn't. It requires a lot of talent, and both these actors have that. Gosling dominated the screen throughout the film, and gave off a reserved, yet gripping sense of power. 

CC: You must have an interesting definition of attraction then, ha! All joking aside, I'd like to bring up my last issue with Drive: its unrelenting, brutal, and unnecessary levels of violence. I consider myself to have a strong stomach when it comes to movies, having seen all kinds of gore and violent acts depicted on screen. The violence in Drive is borderline pornographic and fulfills no function whatsoever aside from titillating gorehounds and disgusting the rest of us. The gore and violence in the film seemed straight out of a crazy horror/sci-fi film. I have no problem whatsoever with gore/violence if it serves a purpose and is done well. Drive's violence is done extremely well and looks quite convincing and realistic. However, I don't think that level of violence was necessary for the story that the film was trying to tell. It felt very out of place and jarring. 

A moment of silence before The Driver strikes

EE: Again, it all has to do with protection. He meets two people, connects with them, and begins to care deeply for them. The violence is merely a representation of how far he's willing to go to keep them safe. In perhaps the bloodiest scene of them all, it ends with a long shot of The Driver's blood-smeared face. It's an expression of shock, fear, and disbelief. I'm under the impression that he wouldn't have acted violently if he didn't have to. He doesn't run around kicking skulls in for fun. In each violence sequence, he was attacked or threatened. They weren't only acts of self defense, but also acts of defending others. 

CC: I understand what you are getting at, I just think his affection for those under his protection could have been conveyed without the over-the-top gore effects. Just my $.02.

CC: Well I think we have definitely covered a lot of ground on the controversial film Drive. To sum up, for me Drive is a beautifully shot and expertly crafted film that is ultimately hollow. It tries and fails to establish a connection between the main character and the supporting cast, and features excessive and unnecessary violence. However, Drive isn't a bad film overall, and is still worth checking out if the plot seems intriguing or you are drawn to visually striking films. 

EE: Enjoyed the discussion CC. As you said, Drive is a stunning film. Unlike you though, I believe the beauty goes beyond the production values. I think Nicolas Winding Refn, Hossein Amini (screenplay) and James Sallis (book) did a stellar job of portraying human emotions, and adding strong dialogue where necessary. Depending on your view, the film goes much deeper than your typical crime drama. In regards to CC's qualm with the violence, I quote Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle: 

"Mainstream audiences will probably be confounded by Drive, while lovers of gritty filmmaking will defend every exaggerated shotgun wound as art. Know which camp you're in before you enter the theater." 

While CC and I are both lovers of gritty filmmaking, we're definitely in separate camps when it comes to Drive. Though, if you can tolerate the violence, I highly recommend giving it a chance. A very well made film that will keep you thoroughly entertained and visually amazed. 

- CC & EE


If you don't decide to check out Drive, at least take a listen to its awesome soundtrack: 

The rest of the soundtrack can be found here:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K7rmxjk5RQ&list=PL8AF7F89F397B8941