Drive with Ryan Gosling... a remarkable film

[JasonEvans]

I should have put something up on this flick when I saw it a week or so ago. This is a truly remarkable film, beautifully shot and acted. I think it will get some award buzz, especially for Albert Brooks as a potential Best Supporting Actor. But, as is sometimes the case with a piece of cinematic art, it is not necessarily for everyone... it is not necessarily simple entertainment.

Drive, despite its name, is a movie that is often slow and there are few car chases or driving scenes. The film lingers on scenes and expressions for several beats. There is not much dialogue. I bet Gossling speaks less than 10 words on camera in the first 30 minutes of the movie... I'm serious. It veers from subtle and sensative to violent and disturbing in a matter of moments. It is extreme film noir, somewhat similar to To Live and Die in LA.

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I walked out of the film feeling utterly floored. On the one hand, there was a piece of me viscerally angry that the film had been so uncompromising and refused to just entertain me. On the other hand, I was marvelling at the craftsmanship on display and the way filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn had conveyed so much with so little in some scenes. In particular, the scenes with Gosling and Carey Mulligan slowly falling for each other are touching (and sometimes frustrating) in their silence and subtlety.

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Amateur film critics will adore this flick. So will noir fans. Make no mistake, this is a film with tragically flawed characters. It takes several dark and violent turns. It is not a film for everyone... but if you even begin to think you might like a flick like this... GO SEE IT!

I do a radio segment every Friday for one of the big FM stations in town. The morning show on the station skews toward female listeners -- mostly suburban moms -- and I wanted to be quite careful about telling that demographic to go see this film. So, my segment started out really positive, but then, when I startedc to get cautious, it got kinda funny. Ya'll might enjoy listening. You can hear it by clicking here.

--Jason "I also spoke a bit about a film that is perfect for that 'mommy' audience -- Sarah Jessica Parker's I Don't Know How She Does It" Evans

[Udaman]

Saw it today and was blown away. Great film. It reminded me of Payback...only much, much better (and I liked Payback).

Albert Brooks should get a nomination for sure for this (if not a definite win). He was fantastic. Everyone was. Just really, really good.

[brevity]

--Jason "I also spoke a bit about a film that is perfect for that 'mommy' audience -- Sarah Jessica Parker's I Don't Know How She Does It" Evans

I haven't seen either, and can't access the audio link from here, but if your take on these two films is similar to most critics, wouldn't you want to wield your influence by steering your suburban mom audience away from SJP and towards Ryan Gosling? (I assume you mean "perfect" as "perfectly catered to drawing in a specific audience of suckers" rather than "perfect time at the theater, in sharp contrast to everything else SJP has committed to the big screen since L.A. Story, and that was 20 years ago.")

[weezie]

Our Ryan is pretty easy on the eyes, too!
Man Candy!!!!

[Jim3k]

I just saw Drive today, and must agree that it is a stunner.

Gosling is almost a modern day Steve McQueen--both in manner and appearance.

Noire is definitely in play here.

would write more, but left arm is in a sling and typing is too awkward for the moment.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

I saw this last Sunday and loved it. I can't recommend it enough.