Drive

There's always that one role in an actor's filmography that stands out from the rest. Most of the time, that role puts restrictions on the actor's career. It's bothersome especially if the actor is quite versatile in other roles.

Ryan Gosling provides a solid example. He was a rising talent from Canada with several solid performances. Then came The Notebook, which put a damper on his career for a while. Such movies like Half Nelson and Blue Valentine showed his dramatic range and with Drive, Gosling shows he has an edge. More than once throughout the movie he channels Travis Bickle for both Bickle and Gosling's nameless driver are quiet loners whose actions speak louder than their words.

Drive shows that its influences are the works of Michael Mann (particularly Collateral) and Martin Scorsese (particularly Taxi Driver). One notable similarity between these three titles is that they may be marketed as violent movies, but in reality they rely more on character than carnage. Another similarity between these three is that no matter how lit up the cities are, they can't conceal the blood that flows from the many crimes committed within the underbelly of it all.

I was already familiar with Nicholas Winding Refn through Bronson, which I thought was too violent for my tastes. With Drive, violence is used sparingly. When it is used, it's done in glorious Tarantino fashion. And for performances, the best came from Gosling and an against type Albert Brooks. I would be beyond satisfied if they got recognized for their work.

My Rating: *****