Over the past two years I’ve really immersed myself into the world of classic films from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. During that time, I’ve found that I whole-heartedly subscribe to the old adage “They don’t make ‘em like that anymore.” Give me a classic film noir like This Gun for Hire (1942), Dark Passage (1947), or Kiss Me Deadly (1955) over any big-budget blockbuster and I’m happy. So, it with great pleasure that I write that the new film Drive fits nicely into the film noir genre and is a superior piece of cinema to boot.
Soon, Driver meets and falls for his lovely neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan), whose husband will soon be released from prison. There’s tension when the husband and Driver come face to face, but Driver checks his emotions and adheres to a sort of moral code and keeps his distance. Although hoping for a fresh start, the husband’s past catches up to him and Driver offers to help. The two partner up on one last caper: a simple pawn shop robbery. Unfortunately, things quickly spiral out of control and, as in all good noir films, our hero finds himself in over his head as the situation continues to worsen. When confronted, Driver finally allows his inner demons to surface and it’s at this point the film becomes shockingly violent and bloody.
Gosling is subdued throughout most of the movie. His character comes across as brooding, almost shy. He’s given minimal dialogue but his character displays animalistic rage when he’s in protector or revenge mode. Mulligan is similarly amazing. She could’ve easily been a silent film star. At times, without saying a word, she looked like she could burst with joy or collapse with grief. She has an amazingly expressive face. The film’s sparse dialogue is punctuated by long moments of silence allowing the actors to convey convincing emotion. But between the silences, I thoroughly enjoyed the hypnotic soundtrack. At times the music felt like a throwback to films of the 1980s and at other times felt ultra modern.
Ryan Gosling in Drive.
Of course, in a movie called Drive you’d expect an exhilarating car chase or two, and there are some fine ones here – the best of which involve Driver’s stolen 2011 Mustang. In the moments following the botched pawn shop robbery, Driver is pursued by a 2005 Chrysler 300 with tinted windows. During the nail-biting chase, Driver displays his amazing talent as, well, a driver. When all is said and done, Drive is an intense thriller, just be wary of all the bloody violence.
