I have to admit, I'm not going to be one of the MoFos who will be *raving* about "Drive." Don't get me wrong, it was an above-average film that was engaging enough. I'm just not jumping up and down about it. Take away the awesome score/music & take away Ryan Gosling: you'd have a 6/10 or lower.
I could tell that A LOT of people leaving the theater were disappointed. "Drive" was marketed as a sort of indie homage to "Gone in 60 Seconds," and I think that most people probably bought their tickets under the impression that it would be "Fast & Furious" for grown ups. As soon as I saw Refn's name attached to the film, I knew it would end up being more artistic and cerebral (vis-a-vis "Bronson")...so since that's what I was expecting, I wasn't as miffed as some of the other folks.
I wasn't disappointed by "Drive," - I pretty much knew what I was in for. It was just missing that little *extra* something, you know? I wasn't emotionally invested, and I really wanted to be. It's almost as if it was too cool.
To say "Take away the awesome score/music & take away Ryan Gosling: you'd have a 6/10 or lower," is like saying "Take away all the main actors of Ocean's Eleven, along with director Steven Soderbergh: you'd have a 1/10." The music and Ryan Gosling both made the movie what it is. I will be the first to admit that Ryan Gosling will always be stereotyped as the "tight lipped, melancholic hero," but that was perfect for this role. I see this movie as one "artistic" in nature, and when viewing artistic movies, I feel they can be viewed on two planes. One plane, is where you identify with the emotion that art is producing. The second plane, is you recognize the piece (or film in this respect) as a vessel of art (in the whole and abstract form), and view it in that context. For me, i viewed it in the second plane. For me, watching Drive was like watching a visual hedonist experience for the eyes, coupled with a musical decadence for those born in the 90s. Not only did the music create the independent feel for the movie, but it immediately set it apart from anything but post opening sequence. If people were looking or hoping for a more adult version of Gone in Sixty Seconds, or Fast and Furious, then I can see why they were disappointed. In truth, I felt this was more of a love story, that happened to be told in the explained setting/context. The cold exterior of Ryan Gosling's character, made subtle references to his inability to truly love and trust and let go of his false sense of lonesome despair, by the final sacrifice he made for the female. To me it felt more like a spaghetti western in the sense, that there were slow, drawn sequences, interrupted by quick, but brutal fight scenes, leading up to a climatic third act. This movie was very reminiscent of the "The Man with No Name" movies Clint Eastwood did (in regards to subtlety of plot and timing). For me, i give this movie a 4.5 out of 5, view it as an abstract expression of one man's ability to express his love the only way he can....to drive....(i know, that gave me the "douche" chills as well).
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