BIG SCREEN
Movie: Drive
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Albert Brooks, Carey Mulligan
Nobody can uncover, what the “driver” thinks; neither from his staring, non-blinking cold expressionless face, nor from his one-word talks. But all we know about him at the end of the film is that he will do anything for love and that he is extremely violent. That's pretty much, how I would sum up Nicolas Winding Refn's stylish art factory movie “Drive”. The movie is all about the driver's (played by Ryan Gosling) character.
Plot
A gifted driver (stunt performer and mechanic by profession), whose involvement in small time crimes and the beautiful neighbour (Carey Mulligan), lands him in mess. It would inescapably place him under circumstances, where he has to either to run for his life or has to kill his foes the Michael Corleone way.
The movie has astounding performances from the lead, Ryan Gosling, followed closely by Carey and Albert Brooks.
The rest
Somehow, the movie reminded me of David Cronenberg's “A History of Violence”, not only in its gory violence, but also in the eccentric characterisation. But, Refn's pacy direction and the artistic association, is where “Drive” begins to stand out. Marvellously crafted, musically enriched and vibrantly cinematographed with its heart pounding slow motions, the movie stands tall, all the way.
Markedly, the only miniscule black patch, I wish it didn't have, is the ease with which the driver wipes out the big heads. Well, no big deal.
Bottomline: “Drive” is stylish, brutal and artistic. While one might credit the sleek and shrewd direction of Refn, it is also Gosling who makes “Drive” a fantastic piece of taut thrillerThe director gives you a one hour and 30-odd minutes window, anything that happens during that time; we are his, no matter what.
