"Art house" is a term used to describe a film that is independently made for a small niche market. "Mainstream" is used to describe something that is constructed for a wide audience. What happens when the two worlds collide? Films like "Drive" are the result. This film is artfully directed by Nicolas Winding Refn who was also responsible for the cult classic "Bronson." This is a straightforward action-heist-drama with art house visuals and sensibility.
"Drive" stars Ryan Gosling who plays The Driver, a quiet young man who lives behind the wheel. In fact, he has three jobs involving cars and driving. During the day, he works part-time as a Hollywood stunt driver and another job as a mechanic in a garage. At night, he moonlights as the getaway driver for thieves and criminals. The opening sequence is a gripping introduction to this night life as the director takes us through a typical job for The Driver. He skillfully navigates his way to safety after the cops catch on to the job he is assisting in. It is such a great way to open the film that the next 30 minutes will throw some viewers for a loop.
The film slows way down after the frantic introduction. We see The Driver living out a pretty lonely and forlorn lifestyle. All this guy does is drive cars, eat and sleep. The only facial expressions we see are these cool, calm and collected looks. And then he meets the girl that changes everything. Irene (played by Carey Mulligan) lives just three doors down from him. The two of them, along with her son, begin to spend time together and form a unique-if-troubling relationship. They both want to say a lot, but are not sure about how much to reveal to the other.
One thing is very clear: both Irene and The Driver have very shady pasts that are barely hinted at. Those hints come in the form of action in the second half. Because the build-up is a slow burn, the last half of the film is quite intense. With a tag line like "there are no clean getaways," it is expected that things will go down sooner or later. And boy does it ever in the last 40 minutes. There is action and there is plenty of gore, but it is not flashy nor does it outweigh the plot. There is one particularly effective scene involving an interrogation by The Driver in a strip club that seems destined to become a classic.
It is scenes like this that show the monster and the rage underneath his cool and collected mug. The film almost turns into a character study of a suppressed psychopath. Gosling pulls it off very well. He is not given a whole lot of dialogue, but when he speaks it is extremely powerful. Other notable cast members include Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman, and Oscar Isaac. All of the cast members give fine performances.
As mentioned above, the film does have "art house" sensibilities. From the bright colors to the unique and creative camera angles, this films looks like an independent production in a way. In another way it looks like it was fused with a big-budget Hollywood production. Even the music feels like the sort of jazzy, funky music seen in a lot of independent films. Based on the way this film was marketed, that will probably turn off a lot of the mainstream audience.
The slow pacing can be frustrating at times, but the payoff is worth the patience. On the same token, this feels like it was made for people who love films. It still to some degree subscribes to some of the things people expect out of an action thriller. This is one of the better films to come out this year and should get a few nods come award season.
Rating: 4/5
