Refn Teaming with Gosling for Drive

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Since when has slow pace been a bad thing? This is a crime movie that literally goes to a beat of a different drum. I love it's super-slick soundtrack that is hypnotic and the inversion of a main character who almost never says anything and has no backstory (very Clint Eastwood) while all the supporting characters bring entire decades of backstory that is only hinted at, but felt.

As I've said, this is the John Coltrane of crime dramas. Though I'll admit the soundtrack and Albert Brooks are what stick out the most.

This, though I believe Gosling stuck out as much as those too. His acting was amazing. Some people complained how he just stared at some scenes, but everything he had to say he said through his facial reactions perfectly.

People also said this is Tarantino-esque. I'd go back even further and say it is more Leone-esque (Though I'd say the movie's style is more in the style of Leone's post dollars Trilogy work than his early work). You could criticize that Refn Left the camera running, like Leone would do often, and you had each death leave an effect on audiences like the later Leone movies.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Seriously, was I the only one who got a Travis Brickle vibe from The Driver (who I recently realized has no name) and just a overall Taxi Driver vibe from this film?

I love this character though. He has good intentions and wants to help, but in the end, he's still a sociopath. The ending pretty much sums up his character.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I think the mask represents the darker/violent personality within the driver.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I do too. The part that no one can recognize him as, he does enjoy wearing that thing. He may even wear it for too long. But that's what makes him such an unhinged character.

 

[ttotheusher]

Finally got to see this movie yesterday, and I have to say, having followed its development from the start, it did not dissapoint one bit. It may be a tad too early to say, but I would go so far as to call it a modern masterpiece. Outstanding.

 

[BestGirl]

Here's what Refn has to say about the mask:

The Driver wearing a mask was our way to show that The Driver has completed his own transformation into becoming his own superhero. The movie, if you think about it, is about a man who transforms himself into a superhero and fights the bad guys, and superheroes need their own costume. The mask is his.

 

[Lencho01]

Here's what Refn has to say about the mask:

I had a feeling that was it since they like to bring up the idea of Driver living out a fantasy in a way.

 

[Rez]

I've watched this movie 5 times since it was released, 4 of those times in a theater, beating my previous record of 3 viewings. It is perfect in every way, and the first movie in several years that I loved instantly and completely. It's just that good.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Saw it tonight, I thought it was ok. Gosling is a good actor but his sociopath Driver character who mumbles a few lines did nothing for me, and Carey Mulligan must have learned her part in about ten minutes.

It was like those two were in a different movie to Cranston and Brooks, who felt they were in a traditional gangster movie as opposed to some low fi experimental indie.

The one piece of actual driving the Driver does looked cool but I was expecting more scenes showcasing his skills, and the long constant hesitation to speak by some characters irritated me.

In the end the film is an interesting stylistic exercise when Gosling and Mulligan are on screen, and a formula gangster flick when the rest are onscreen, no development time on the relationship between The Driver and Irene bar some musical staring sequences meant I was never invested in the story, but was glad Irene was in the clear as the only one that didn't deserve their death.

6/10

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Now, you can buy your very own scorpion jacket.

Source

I want it!

 

[Octoberist]

me want!

 

[Nightmare]

That's so badass!

 

[Marvin]

To be honest, if i saw anyone wearing that I'd think they were trying too hard. But that's me.

 

[KRIM]

For the most part, you'd be right. There's a very small amount of people that could pull off that look, and Gosling was one of them.

 

[Drz]

Drive is definately a big surprise for me personally because i had no hype whatsoever, not to mention i know close to nothing about the director (Refn) or the protagonists, so this was like diving into a big mystery where the only thing i knew was i was told it was action thriller crime story.

I wouldn't call this exactly an action story, while it does have it's car sequences, gun shots and brutally done fight scenes with the perfect execution marks, it's really more about a personal story of the protagonist, who in this film is only known simply as the Driver (Ryan Gosling) Funnily the easiest way to promote this movie to anyone, is quite frankly telling it's a Grand Theft Auto: Vice City the live action movie, and as a fan of Ron Perlman it was awesome to see this man Nic Cage his career again as an 59 year old Mobster who was desperately trying to up his game by acting like a teenage gangsta boss. Now enough about how brutal or funny Ron Perlman is, here's what makes this movie work: The body language Ryan Gosling embodies is perfect, and there's this very cutesy and romantical scene between the Driver and his love interest Irene (Carey Mulligan) share a tender moment of silence and the Driver asks her out, you can see her excitment despite not giving a response, they just stare at each other, breathe and the next thing you know they're on a romantic evening drive. I can't express how well Gosling's acting is and how perfect the body language is withouth digging deeper into the details of the Driver, who quite frankly is a god damn sociopath, but one the audience wants to succeed and root for, despite the obvious mental issues. The cinematography is just flatout perfect! You got silent scenes with just driving that give you an emotional punch, you got scenes of happyness and scenes of utter fright alongside showcasing us how darn beatiful the city of Los Angeles truly is, not to mention some darn cool car sequences.

Another perfect element in the movie is the soundtrack, it enchances the mood and it's all original, but it's not your typical Hans Zimmer choir music epicness, it's pretty retro i'd say, infact the whole movie is a throwback to the 80s while keeping it modern. I'd say this movie easily made to my top 3 favourite movies of the year. 5/5

 

[EML420]

This is from funny or die thought I would share made me laugh its if Drive took place in the 90s.

 

[Fanticon]

my brother had that jacket in '95

 

[Gold Samurai]

Woman sues over 'misleading' trailer for "Drive"


http://www.nypost.com/p/news/nation...ng_YtcRUGdGmnHNycIEwoxnwN#ixzz1aFg0Zo8I<br />

The lawsuit filed by Sarah Deming says distributor FilmDistrict marketed "Drive" as "very similar to the 'Fast and the Furious,' or similar, series of movies"

The actual film "bore very little similarity to a chase, or race action film ... having very little driving in the motion picture," the suit alleges.

Deming's lawsuit goes on to say that the film "substantially contained extreme gratuitous dehumanizing racism directed at members of the Jewish faith, and thereby promoted criminal violence against members of the Jewish faith."

She is seeking a refund of her ticket price, and intends to turn the case into a class action suit to end misleading movie trailers

Hilarious

 

[Rowsdower!]

This is easily my favorite film of the year. Saw it a little over a week ago and I've been constantly thinking about it. Great performances, great direction, great story, great soundtrack. This movie reminded me of a number of other films I really like, and I mean that in a good way... Drive is absolutely it's own film and not at all derivative. However, Refn was clearly influenced by some classics and more recent films. I doubt all of these movies influenced Refn in the creation of this film (I'm positive some didn't) but I'd call it a mix of Taxi Driver, A Fistful of Dollars, Pulp Fiction, Bullitt, Two Lovers and Risky Business. Regarding the latter two, I'm looking primarily at the music and the overall atmosphere of several scenes.

Anyway, Gosling is flat out brilliant here. It's tough to pull off a lead role like this when you only have a handful of lines, but it adds so much more weight to the times when he does speak. You can see that the Driver is a lost soul who, despite his part-time criminal lifestyle, has not been corrupted. However, we realize that he doesn't KNOW that he's a "good guy," hence the reason he's initially so withdrawn from Irene, so much to the point where he intentionally avoids her until circumstances bring them together.

What follows is a fascinating juxtaposition of Driver's simultaneous journey to redemption and descent into darkness. The further he goes to protect Irene and Benicio, the more violent and unhinged he becomes; so much to the point that an act of protection ultimately scares her half to death. Thus in the end, although he has sacrificed everything for her, he's also driven himself away from her.

The other performances are all very strong; Carey Mulligan is brilliant as always and gives us a heroine who is worth fighting and dying for. Bryan Cranston shows his chameleon-like versatility as he plays a shallow and weak-willed character that is a far cry from the arrogant and stubborn Walter White. Albert Brooks shuts up any doubters who might have been under the impression that he couldn't play a ruthless, evil bastard. And Oscar Isaac shines in a small but important role as the wayward husband who is in way over his head.

Nicolas Winding Refn has created a true gem with this film... one that could have easily gone the Fast Five route and I have no doubt that I would have enjoyed that approach as well. But Drive is something much more... a throwback to the old Steve McQueen style action film with a bit of a Clint Eastwood "Man with No Name" feel and a subtle star-crossed romance. I highly recommend this film to anyone except maybe a person who would... um... sue the producers for not making it enough like a Vin Diesel movie or something.

10/10

 

[nightwing06]

pretty funny:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/...?newsfeed=true


Michigan resident files suit against distributor of Ryan Gosling thriller, claiming the film had 'very little driving' and is 'antisemitic'


Most people's gripe about trailers these days is that they blow too much info about a film's plot. But not Sarah Deming. This Michigan resident is suing the distributor of the critically acclaimed Ryan Gosling thriller Drive &#8211; as well as the cinema where she saw it &#8211; claiming it was publicised as a Fast and Furious style action piece but turned out to be nothing of the sort.

In her suit, which was filed at the sixth judicial circuit court in Oakland, Michigan, Deming says the Nicolas Winding Refn film "bore very little similarity to a chase, or race action film ... having very little driving in the motion picture".

The plaintiff goes on to attack Drive for what she perceives as antisemitic leanings. The film "substantially contained extreme, gratuitous, dehumanising racism directed at members of the Jewish faith, and thereby promoted criminal violence against members of the Jewish faith", her suit reads.

Deming hopes to turn her appeal into a class action suit, which would allow cinemagoers across the US to sue on similar grounds if they found themselves watching films on the basis of a misleading trailer. Both the Emagine cinema in Novi, Michigan, and distributor FilmDistrict are expected to vigorously contest. Emagine has already pointed out that it would have been happy to refund the cost of the ticket bought by Ms Deming, which is the suit's only demand.

Drive, about a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a getaway driver, has been warmly received by most critics. The winner of the best director award at Cannes currently holds a 93% "fresh" rating on the reviews website rottentomatoes.com.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Never underestimate the stupidity of mainstream movie goers.

 

[EML420]

Wow thats just god words cant describe how dumb people are.
Brooks keeps gettng praised for his peformance I think Drive might be the first movie I have seen him in what type of characters had he played before?

 

[Marvin]

I knew the marketing of this film threw some people off, my whole theater was probably as confused as this lady, the difference being they're grown ups.

 

[jacobed]

Wow she should be sued for her complete stupidity. I hope the studio files a counter suit and takes her for everything she's worth

 

[Matt Mortem]

To be fair, the trailer for this movie REALLY didn't show the movie for what it was. The trailer made it look like an action heavy heist film like The Transporter or something along those lines. The movie itself was much different.