Drive

9/10 dropps
R, 1 hr. 40 min.
Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense
Directed By: Nicolas Winding Refn
Written By: Hossein Amini
In Theaters: Sep 16, 2011 Wide
Box Office:$30.1M

Ryan Gosling is one of the best actors of our generation. While his films might not gross massive numbers at the box office they are almost always guaranteed to be a great piece of cinematic work. As an actor and artist Gosling choses scripts and roles that have depth and substance. Roles that consistently defy conventional wisdom and monetary reward. Currently he is in 2 films that are gracing our eyes at the cineplex: Ides of March with George Clooney, and Drive.

If you are a fan of fast and the furious esque car movies, you most likely won’t like Drive. The cars wont be flashy enough, the pace wont enthrall you, and honestly you probably have only seen one Ryan Gosling film which was most likely The Notebook because your girlfriend made you watch it- and then you cried (which you sometimes bro out about with your friends when someone talks shit about the Notebook.)

Drive starts out by introducing us to Gosling as a getaway car driver in late night heists and Hollywood Stunt diver by day. The opening credits are written in a neon pink script adorned by the pulsating synth driven track ‘Night Call’ by Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx, which sets the tone for the overall feel of the film. The sound track composed mostly by former Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Cliff Martinez is an M83-esque airy synth laden score that breathes life into the film. Much like several other films Gosling stars in, they build off of their soundtracks. For example, Half Nelson which features Broken Social Scene and last years Blue Valentine whose soundtrack was dominated by Grizzly Bear.

The sonically grim and dark synth tracks foreshadow the murky undertones of the film. We soon see the plot unravel as a heist spins unpredictably out of control, where Gosling gets caught up in the middle of a deadly crime syndicate. Its then we see the movies underbelly as a violent Art House thriller. While it might not drive in the same numbers at the box office as Ides of March or Dolphin Tale will, Drive is definitely one of the best surprises this fall movie season has to offer and well worth the investment.

-PMP