This ultra slick film follows a stunt driver/garage mechanic in Los Angeles who doubles as a getaway driver for hire at night. Ryan Gosling provides a chilling performance as the nameless "Driver" who inadvertently becomes involved in the life of his neighbour (Carey Mulligan) and her young son. At the same time his boss at the garage (Bryan Cranston) is setting up a race team trying to bank on the drivers talent, by reaching out to his gangland contacts. As the driver struggles to gain control of his different lives he is forced to decide what is really worth protecting and what that protection will involve.
Ryan Gosling provides perhaps his best performance to date, having an amazing year with movies such as The Ides Of March and Crazy, Stupid, Love, highlighting his versatility as an actor. Gosling's character is an isolated, meticulous person who displays immense talent behind the wheel. The driver's mysterious and complex persona is broken however as he turns into an antihero seeking revenge.
The supporting cast is excellent with Cranston the standout as Shannon, the driver's boss at the mechanic shop. Shannon is the epitome of bad luck with everything about him reeking of desperation. Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman both contribute strong performances as ruthless members of the gangland syndicate each with motivation to reach the driver. Mulligan provides another solid performance with the limited screen time she is given as Irene, however her chemistry with Gosling is not believable as there is little time given to the development of her character and relationship towards the driver.
The first half of the film was breathtaking, original, bold and deeply intriguing. Director, Nicolas Winding Refn created a bleak and gritty view of L.A through his selection and manipulation of locations. The initial getaway scene sucked me in straight away, matched only to the unforgettable elevator scene. However the second half of the movie was disappointing. It's as if Refn felt like the movie was lacking plot or characters so he added plot lines such as the possibility of a racing team and the involvement of gangland thugs. As a result the characters were going as fast as they were being introduced with many plot lines adding nothing to the film.
There was very little character development in the film and a huge emphasis on brutality and revenge. I would have preferred a greater exploration into the character of the driver and I was anticipating more suspenseful scenes like the opening getaway. I would have also liked for more time to be provided for Irene and her relationship with the driver, providing an insight into his motives and true conscience. I respect the path that Refn took, and regard the end result a success, but often when you see a good movie there is that desire to see it be great.
Drive has a retro/indie feel to it that is fresh and original and delivers one of the best performances for the year from Gosling. The film captures the themes of brutality and sacrifice to a backdrop of chilling music, well scripted dialogue and powerful direction. The movie was absorbing throughout despite its somewhat disappointing second act with the end result one of haunting beauty.
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