theminutemoviereview
04-25-13, 07:37 PM
Hello fellow movie lovers! I am an infant when it comes to this website and decided to jump right into the deep end. I run my own website and thought this was an appropriate place to share my verbal diarrhea with the masses. First up is "Drive":
Just Enjoy the Ride:
A Review of “Drive”
Car chases are a staple of many Hollywood films and have been for years. There’s nothing quite like seeing a dozen cop cars be toppled over by one extremely talented driver as they weave in and out of traffic leaving multiple explosions and accidents in their wake. This type of scene is typical in an action movie and plays its part in the film. The idea is to excite the viewer and give them something flashy to look at. I hope the title of “Drive” does not confuse you because you will get nothing of what I described, which is a good thing; you get something much better.
As the credits rolled, I felt I had been nudged awake from a very badass dream. From start to finish, this film drew me in without me even knowing it. Between the refreshing but awkward pauses (I’ll get to that in a second), beautifully choreographed car scenes, and the explosive violence, “Drive” felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from. I would compare it to a train crash happening in slow motion; as bad and horrific as you know it’s going to be, you cannot help but stare in awe. I think the point I am trying to make is this movie kicked ass.
Moving on, let’s start with the story. “Drive” takes place in downtown Los Angeles and focuses on a man aptly named Driver. Really, that’s his name; there is no other indication throughout the film indicating otherwise but I digress. Driver is a dashing young man with driving skills to rival that of some of Nascar’s greats. He uses these skills in his daytime profession where he is a stunt driver for the movies. He also uses his skills for less legal purposes where he plays the getaway car for a wide variety of scumbags. He has one rule for said scumbags; he gives them five minutes of time and anything outside of that time is none of his concern.
From this very simple premise comes a movie unlike anything I have ever seen. Walking into the theatre having read the about the plot of the film, I wasn’t expecting anything really original. A driver falls in love with typical female lead, gets into some trouble with the local crime syndicate, and eventually comes out unscathed with his half-naked prize of a woman hanging off of his arm. When I left the theatre, all illusions of an average movie had been shattered. The beginning of the film starts off very gentle and gives you room to breathe and think. As the film progresses, it steadily gains momentum and quickly for that matter. I can compare it to having the best dream you have ever had, having someone dump a bucket of ice cold water on you and you being glad they did it.
The action in this film is a slap in the face. It is so abrupt and exhilarating that you can’t help but look to the person next to you to validate what you both had just witnessed. The action ends before it evens begins as well. All this aside, it gives the movie this really raw and artsy feel to it and it works on every level.
Now let’s talk about the characters. Ryan Gosling is outstanding in this movie. Never have I been so impressed by an actor who has about as much dialogue as the car he is driving. Despite his lack of speech, he plays his character brilliantly. His character, Driver, is a man of few words and seems to have a lack of emotion at the start of the film. As he becomes more involved with his neighbor Irene, played by Carey Mulligan, he seems to gain a sense of personality. From here, he goes all out and becomes a shadow of his former self. I had not personally followed Gosling as an actor in the past until I saw “Blue Valentine”. He caught my attention in that film as he made me believe that he was a distraught father watching his marriage crumble before his eyes. “Blue Valentine”, along with this film, has made me pay attention to this up and coming actor and his future films. There is something about how he presents his characters that makes you believe he put his heart and soul into his characters.
All in all, “Drive” exceeded all of my expectations. The director, Nicolas Wingding Refn, did an outstanding job directing this film in all regards. He has had recent success with his recent film “Valhalla Rising” and should gain some attention in the industry with this film. The soundtrack was outstanding, giving the film a very retro feel and contributing to its coolness.
Just Enjoy the Ride:
A Review of “Drive”
Car chases are a staple of many Hollywood films and have been for years. There’s nothing quite like seeing a dozen cop cars be toppled over by one extremely talented driver as they weave in and out of traffic leaving multiple explosions and accidents in their wake. This type of scene is typical in an action movie and plays its part in the film. The idea is to excite the viewer and give them something flashy to look at. I hope the title of “Drive” does not confuse you because you will get nothing of what I described, which is a good thing; you get something much better.
As the credits rolled, I felt I had been nudged awake from a very badass dream. From start to finish, this film drew me in without me even knowing it. Between the refreshing but awkward pauses (I’ll get to that in a second), beautifully choreographed car scenes, and the explosive violence, “Drive” felt like a dream I never wanted to wake up from. I would compare it to a train crash happening in slow motion; as bad and horrific as you know it’s going to be, you cannot help but stare in awe. I think the point I am trying to make is this movie kicked ass.
Moving on, let’s start with the story. “Drive” takes place in downtown Los Angeles and focuses on a man aptly named Driver. Really, that’s his name; there is no other indication throughout the film indicating otherwise but I digress. Driver is a dashing young man with driving skills to rival that of some of Nascar’s greats. He uses these skills in his daytime profession where he is a stunt driver for the movies. He also uses his skills for less legal purposes where he plays the getaway car for a wide variety of scumbags. He has one rule for said scumbags; he gives them five minutes of time and anything outside of that time is none of his concern.
From this very simple premise comes a movie unlike anything I have ever seen. Walking into the theatre having read the about the plot of the film, I wasn’t expecting anything really original. A driver falls in love with typical female lead, gets into some trouble with the local crime syndicate, and eventually comes out unscathed with his half-naked prize of a woman hanging off of his arm. When I left the theatre, all illusions of an average movie had been shattered. The beginning of the film starts off very gentle and gives you room to breathe and think. As the film progresses, it steadily gains momentum and quickly for that matter. I can compare it to having the best dream you have ever had, having someone dump a bucket of ice cold water on you and you being glad they did it.
The action in this film is a slap in the face. It is so abrupt and exhilarating that you can’t help but look to the person next to you to validate what you both had just witnessed. The action ends before it evens begins as well. All this aside, it gives the movie this really raw and artsy feel to it and it works on every level.
Now let’s talk about the characters. Ryan Gosling is outstanding in this movie. Never have I been so impressed by an actor who has about as much dialogue as the car he is driving. Despite his lack of speech, he plays his character brilliantly. His character, Driver, is a man of few words and seems to have a lack of emotion at the start of the film. As he becomes more involved with his neighbor Irene, played by Carey Mulligan, he seems to gain a sense of personality. From here, he goes all out and becomes a shadow of his former self. I had not personally followed Gosling as an actor in the past until I saw “Blue Valentine”. He caught my attention in that film as he made me believe that he was a distraught father watching his marriage crumble before his eyes. “Blue Valentine”, along with this film, has made me pay attention to this up and coming actor and his future films. There is something about how he presents his characters that makes you believe he put his heart and soul into his characters.
All in all, “Drive” exceeded all of my expectations. The director, Nicolas Wingding Refn, did an outstanding job directing this film in all regards. He has had recent success with his recent film “Valhalla Rising” and should gain some attention in the industry with this film. The soundtrack was outstanding, giving the film a very retro feel and contributing to its coolness.