2011, 18, Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Christina Hendricks
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Christina Hendricks
2011 saw an inundation of Ryan Gosling starrers, solidifying his presence in the movie kingdom. But for one crowd-pleaser (Crazy, Stupid, Love), there was a darker, more brooding Cannes-pleaser under the bonnet: Drive, which sees Gosling’s Driver with no name embroiled in a criminal underground due to his talents as a cool, calm and skilled getaway driver-by-night. Make that extremely cool. Wearing a scorpion-emblazoned jacket, with toothpick constantly clenched between the gnashers, there is a cross-channel of Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood occurring, not least due to the 80s neo-noir aesthetic created by Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn. The guy who crafted a star-making performance in Tom Hardy’s Bronson goes one step further here, crafting an icon and earning himself a Best Director gong at Cannes for his efforts. Sticking his protagonist into a world where Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman do evil very, very well, in turn endangering the vulnerable (and literal) girl next door Irene (Carey Mulligan) to the backdrop of slow-mo neon nights and vibrant electro synths is where Refn goes from red, amber to green. It all combines to ensure you can bank on Drive emerging a true cult.
The shocking use of extreme violence does not detract from the final product but builds on the sense of ensuing unsafety, heightened by the frankly brilliant way in which Refn provides tender contrasts directly before such actions (a scene in a lift swerves to mind). It may surprise the way in which Drive, amidst the chaotic sounding title, strays from such fracas until quite a length into the film: in an opening sequence, we bear witness to Driver’s getaway driving talents. Unspeaking and unhesitant, he scales the streets like a thief in the night, evading the sights of police as the two criminals in the backseat look on in dumbfounded awe. It may be the tensest opening in recent memory, and whilst Gosling’s performance is a crucial cog, it is Refn’s taut pacing and editing that truly mesmerize. Who needs dialogue?
In one particular moment, he takes Irene and her son for a spin, and as his hand lies on the gearstick, she places his hand on his. You gather the sense that if there is one thing Driver really wants, it is this moment. In retrospect, Gosling and Mulligan’s on-screen charismatic interactions are built up through silence, Refn opting to place emphasis on elongated stares and facial expressions to indicate feelings for one another. It is the under-reliance of conventional narrative techniques that refreshingly sets Drive apart from the rest. Whether it's Refn's suave filmmaking or the frankly brilliant soundtrack, this one will stay with you for a long time after.
The shocking use of extreme violence does not detract from the final product but builds on the sense of ensuing unsafety, heightened by the frankly brilliant way in which Refn provides tender contrasts directly before such actions (a scene in a lift swerves to mind). It may surprise the way in which Drive, amidst the chaotic sounding title, strays from such fracas until quite a length into the film: in an opening sequence, we bear witness to Driver’s getaway driving talents. Unspeaking and unhesitant, he scales the streets like a thief in the night, evading the sights of police as the two criminals in the backseat look on in dumbfounded awe. It may be the tensest opening in recent memory, and whilst Gosling’s performance is a crucial cog, it is Refn’s taut pacing and editing that truly mesmerize. Who needs dialogue?
In one particular moment, he takes Irene and her son for a spin, and as his hand lies on the gearstick, she places his hand on his. You gather the sense that if there is one thing Driver really wants, it is this moment. In retrospect, Gosling and Mulligan’s on-screen charismatic interactions are built up through silence, Refn opting to place emphasis on elongated stares and facial expressions to indicate feelings for one another. It is the under-reliance of conventional narrative techniques that refreshingly sets Drive apart from the rest. Whether it's Refn's suave filmmaking or the frankly brilliant soundtrack, this one will stay with you for a long time after.
4.5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment