Refn Teaming with Gosling for Drive

Parker Wayne said:
The stomping scene actually reminded me more of the fire extinguisher scene in Irreversible.

No wonder people keep saying this movie is European.
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I believe Nicolas Winding Refn phoned up Gaspar Noe and asked him how to do the head stumping scene.
 
Saw this the other day, and loved it.

Few of my friends also saw it, and hated it.

I think it depends what expectations you go in with. My friends saw a few brief shots from the trailer, inferred some meaning from the film name, and assumed it was a car chase movie. I, on the other hand, had read a ton of reviews and articles about the film so I was under no illusions that it was some kind of heavy action movie.

I thought the Driver character was brilliant. He's quiet, mysterious, dangerous. We never get to know his name. In fact, we never get to know much about him at all, because there's no backstory .......................... which was refreshing. Many films with (arguably) a sociopath as the protagonist will go down the route of giving him some tortured past to explain why he behaves the way he does. I really liked the fact that Drive didn't do this; it kept the story stripped back, minimalist and simple, and to me this made the lead character of the Driver much more interesting.

Where did he come from? Where did he learn his skills? Why is he so quiet and passive, yet capable of switching to extreme aggression very quickly? None of these things are answered by the film, and we have to let our imagination take over and try to mould some answers from his behaviour throughout the movie. The driver isn't totally without empathy - there are times when you can see that he is almost shocked himself by the violence he has rendered, and by the effect it's had on those watching - but nonetheless, he moves through the film with no regrets and does what he has to do to survive and to set things right.

The film shocks a little at times with the way it switches tone, and this is something usually instigated by the almost unpredictable - albeit controlled - actions of the Driver himself. For instance, when he's having a drink and is seemingly relaxed, but a second later is calmly telling a guy he'll knock his teeth down his throat. Or when he's kissing Irene in the elevator, and a second later he's stomping a guy's face in. The pace of the film doesn't really change, but the juxtaposition of these very different scenes right after one another is very powerful.

The film is very low on dialogue, but again I found that refreshing compared to the majority of films nowadays, which seem to strive for more and more complex dialogue in an effort to progress the story. Of course, lack of dialogue would ordinarily introduce more silence to a movie, but this is saved by the very unique and memorable soundtrack.

All in all, a really memorable film. Hoping to get a second viewing very soon.
 
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Just finished watching this movie and really enjoyed it. Gosling and Mulligan were amazing. Really recommend this movie.
 
Saw this yesterday and I loved it. Ryan Gosling's performances was freakin awesome.
 
I saw this the other week as well. The trailer for this film is remarkably deceptive I went in expecting one thing but it delivered something completely different. Not that that was a bad thing, it's a very good film, just wasn't what I was expecting. Gosling is so effing cool, in some scenes he comes across surprisingly warm, and in others he's so effing scary. Great movie.
 
jmc said:
I saw this the other week as well. The trailer for this film is remarkably deceptive I went in expecting one thing but it delivered something completely different. Not that that was a bad thing, it's a very good film, just wasn't what I was expecting. Gosling is so effing cool, in some scenes he comes across surprisingly warm, and in others he's so effing scary. Great movie.
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At least you didn't sue. :awesome:

But yeah, that elevator scene and the look in his eyes after he did you know what, puts the fear of God into you. It just shows how unhinged he is.
 
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I loved the part where he was in the diner and that guy who he drove for on a job came up to him.

"How 'bout this..."

His eyes man, his ****ing eyes! Awesome. That's the first sign we see of him actually being a stone cold bad ass mudda.
 
Drive Director Nicolas Winding Refn Says Ryan Gosling "Is the Only Guy Who Can Wear a Satin Jacket"


BuzzSugar: How did you feel about Ryan's performance in Drive?

Nicolas Winding Refn: I think that he's one of those rare actors that has this gift that very few movie stars have ever had, which is that he can say a thousand words without saying a line. He has this talent that's so unique that only maybe Alain Delon and James Stewart had. You can shoot him from all angles; you can almost place him behind a door and you still sense his presence, and his vulnerability and his strength, and so forth. He's the kind of guy who makes acting look really easy.

Buzz: How did you choose the distinctive jacket for Driver to wear?

NWR: I always wanted him to wear a satin jacket, that would illuminate him at night like a knight. It would illuminate his aura. And Ryan Gosling is the only guy who can wear a satin jacket. And then we came up with this scorpion on his back, because it would give him a symbol.
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It's as close as you can get to have Ryan Gosling inside you.
 
After a long and agonizing wait, I finally saw the film. As a huge fan of Refn, it was hard not to be excited and I said to myself to not get my hopes too high. So I reduced my towering excitement for the film (albeit a bit) when I went to see it, but it turned out to be unnecessary as I wasn’t disappointed by the film. Refn continues to prove that he is one of the best directors working today (see the Pusher trilogy and Bronson for further proof) and I would actually say that Drive is his best film to date.

Gosling excelled as the mysterious Driver and uses mostly his facial expressions to tell us everything we need to know. During the first half of the film, he is restrained and nearly emotionless, but after the second half, Gosling swiftly transform from an almost silent observer to a brutal killer that it seems natural. His performance is the very definition of a subtle and nuanced performance.

And Gosling is backed-up by an excellent supporting cast. Mulligan imbues her character with an innocent sweetness and vulnerability, and I should also mention that the on-screen chemistry between her and Gosling is excellent. Which is pretty impressive when you take into account how they favoured glances and smiles over words. It’s overall very beautifully understated.

Albert Brooks gives an electrifying performace, he maintains a dominant presence the moment he is seen on screen. He was absolutely phenomenal. Perlman is amusing as a foul-mouthed Jewish mobster. And Cranston delivers his usual high quality work.

The stunning and lush cinematography & the 80's influenced soundtrack beautifully compliment each other by creating an atmosphere that is intoxicating, immersive and stylishly retro.

From the plot down to the music, it’s top-notch on each and every aspects. Nicolas Winding Refn has undoubtedly crafted a cinematic masterpiece and one of the best films of the year.

5/5
 
Drive is a masterpice. 10/10. the movie was so good that i couldnt sleep . i just couldnt.

and now i even found out that Drive is a digital movie.
 
I don't know why, but I just keep seeing a Family Guy parody of the first chase scene in my head with Stewie in the Driver role. :hehe:
 
You guys should check out "tribute to drive" by tom haugomat and bruno mangyoku on vimeo.
 
I checked it out earlier, it was really cool and stylish.
 
I loved that song from Bronson.

I never wrote my impressions on the film when I watched it when it came out like 2 weeks ago for me, anyhoo.

Refn has found a perfect balance between style and substance to this movie and it's almost impossible not to become immersed in the film as intensity levels rose higher the longer the film goes and made ​​me hypnotized by its brilliancy. Refn doesn't wast a single shot and it's easy to see why he won Best Director at the Cannes. Gosling's character is a man of few words but his eyes and facial expressions speak volumes alone. Must also mention that the cinematography is absolutely fantastic with its lingering shots and the and low-angle shots as well. L.A. has never been so beautiful in a long time. This is one of Refn's strongest work to date and definitely one of the best films I've seen this year by far. Easily a 5/5
 
How are some of you still seeing this? It's been out of theaters here since October :csad:.
 
For me, it came out last month. Yes, that's ridiculous. It should be a crime for withholding the film from me for that long. :o
 
That was excellent.

One of the people in my TFA thinks that the head stomping scene is too violent and said three times would have been fine. He thought the violence broke the tone of the film. Then thought it was inconsistent because they didn't show him killing Perlman.

I completely disagree. Maybe it was because I saw Bronson and watched this trailer and kind of expected it, but I loved the brutal violence as it was an extention of the Driver's fractured psyche. Stomping his head in three times wouldn't have been enough. We wouldn't have felt the impact as much. The fact he kpet doing it just made him seem more unhinged. Three times is too precise anyway. That look on his face with the blood on it and Mulligan's face as well completely makes it. That heavy breathing, the look in his eyes, wouldn't have been as effective if he only did it countable times. The fact it wasn't countable is what made it crazy.
 
Doctor Jones said:
That was excellent.

One of the people in my TFA thinks that the head stomping scene is too violent and said three times would have been fine. He thought the violence broke the tone of the film. Then thought it was inconsistent because they didn't show him killing Perlman.

I completely disagree. Maybe it was because I saw Bronson and watched this trailer and kind of expected it, but I loved the brutal violence as it was an extention of the Driver's fractured psyche. Stomping his head in three times wouldn't have been enough. We wouldn't have felt the impact as much. The fact he kpet doing it just made him seem more unhinged. Three times is too precise anyway. That look on his face with the blood on it and Mulligan's face as well completely makes it. That heavy breathing, the look in his eyes, wouldn't have been as effective if he only did it countable times. The fact it wasn't countable is what made it crazy.
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The reason he got so pissed was that it was the moment The Driver realize that they're never going to stop hunting him down. He found the best thing that has ever happened to him in Irene, and the guy could've not only killed him, but killed Irene too. As he kissed her, he realized that he would probably never see her again. He had the best thing that's ever happened from taken, and it was that sudden realization as he went through the elevator that really set him off.

They need to show Perlman's because we knew what going to happen. He was going to drown him. It's not as visually exciting to see, and in the long run, actually seeing his death wouldn't have as big an effect as the others.

People complained about the way Brook's character killed Cook in the restaurant, but the reason it he did it in such an over-the-top way is to show the contrast of how he killed Cook and how he killed Shannon. He pissed with Cook, and wanted him to die violently for his stupidity. He liked Shannon, and didn't want to kill him because he was innocent in the whole situation, but was left with no choice but to kill him. So he killed him with as little pain as possible, and even after he did it, he felt terrible about it. I loved that scene where after he cleans the blade he just sits down, disappointed that he had to do it.

That's why I hope Brooks gets an oscar nomination, and I think he will. I think he can win it.
 
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