I put off watching it because of all the hate. I shouldn't have, it was amazing. The soundtrack was great. All shots were really well thought out and perfect. Pacing was perfect. The tension building and snappy unexpected violence at times.. just wow. The unbelievability of the mobster ties and the surreal way characters acted and spoke only added to the quality.
During this ride, which can effectively be described as a classic noir tale with a penchant for real violence, there is nary a hole that can be poked. Every second is necessary, every shot elegant, every piece of music supports the action on the screen. Every question normally asked of a film, this one answers either with some level of extrapolation or faith in its characters. Gosling, credited simply as "Driver," is reminiscent of Clint Eastwood's The Man with No Name. We gradually discover over time that he's exactly the kind of person missing in 99% of Hollywood cinema: One that doesn't cop out. That, in itself, is a tremendous victory. •••
A stylish, adrenaline-fueled thrill rush from start to finish. The cinematography is amazing and the uniquely haunting soundtrack really puts everything into the next gear. Only gripe with it is that the characters never stay true to themselves, character traits are set-up only to be ignored later down the track. Good film though, and Ryan Gosling killed it as always.
I've read the book too (by James Sallis), but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. The book was just terrible. None of the things that made the movie into what it is, can be found in there. Hossein Amini however, who wrote the screenplay, did a hell of a job and really set the tone. Winding Refn showed he can deliver a great movie, and he added certain things that really complement the story (however not present in the screenplay).
So much hype over this movie and it was merely average. Was it just me or is Drive completely overrated? Watched it to the end solely for Ryan Gosling.
Kinda sad how this movie was once in heaps of lists when the festival-goers were seeing it and then it dropped out after all the teeny-boppers and dudebros saw it.
I didn't get it, sorry but I thought the violence was gratuitous and the story weak. The highlight for me was Bryan Cranston, what an actor! He lit up every scene he was in with his talent... the same couldn't be said for anyone else though...
Driver: I'll see you in five minutes.
Standard: I'll see you in four.
This one was standing in line already for a long time to be watched. Looking at the number of responses on IMDB, my expectations about it went sky high. Here and there I've read it would be a unique masterpiece, quite arty and directed in a Tarantino kind of way. And I have to admit, those expectations were met.
I thought Ryan Gosling would be kind of a modern version of James Dean who makes female movie-fans swoon with his blue puppy eyes. But what an excellent anti-chick flick interpretation he puts into this movie. With the leather gloves, the emotionless facial expression and the high value on the coolness thermometer he surely reminded me of James Dean. At other times, he seemed to be a fear toothpick chewing loner from a spaghetti western made by Morricone.
In retrospect, "Drive" really is a brilliant movie. Indeed, it's an arty dark movie, without a lot of complicated plots and twists, yet straight-to-the-point. Aggressive and poetic, interwoven with a slow-building romance, horrifying at times with explicit violent images. The composition and progress in this movie is sometimes enervating slow in the beginning, with a lot of silenced pauses that really started to work on my nerves a bit. "Rehearsing this script was a piece of cake for him" I thought after about 15 minutes. Eventually, the silence and the expressions say more than a magnificent elaborate dialogue.
In my opinion, the storyline itself was masterly. A timid stunt driver/mechanic overloaded with Antarctic coolness, offering his services in the late hours as a getaway driver. Eventually he becomes a valiant knight for the neighbor in trouble whose wife (Carey Mulligan) seems to be a cool, aloof woman. But she succeeds in sneaking into his emotional world of feelings in an extremely slow manner. Finally it all ends up in a complicated rip off plan of some local thugs. Beautiful atmospheric images of LA with "Grand Theft Auto"-like situations.
And yet sometimes I thought that those meaningless pauses could have been left out, without prejudice to the overall atmosphere of the film. The soundtrack was also a positive contribution. Usually the music passes by without attracting my attention. In "Drive" it was appropriate and relevant.
I found this review at IMDB. I don't agree with it completely, but some points were right on target. I liked this because of its use of super humorous terms,writing style and content.
Plot synopsis
1) Driver is driver. He's like the Transporter from the movie, except 1/14th as interesting.
2) He goes home after job ,finds girl,girl has boy, girl has husband in prison.
3) Driver wants to be a mechanic, or a Nascar Driver, or a criminal, or a Movie Stunt Driver...or maybe a space shuttle pilot? or President of Uganda, who knows.
4) Husband of girl gets out of jail, and he owes money to mafia guys. Drivers likes girl, so he helps husband.
5) Husband robs pawn shop and dies. Seems that he's been set up by mafia guys as a frame job and Husband gets dead'ed.
6) Driver gets even. Kills everyone. For a while, dressed in a stunt driver mask.
7) Driver gets killed, but lives, or something, driver drives off.
Add your comment
Comments 1 - 15 of 159
vonk76
I put off watching it because of all the hate. I shouldn't have, it was amazing. The soundtrack was great. All shots were really well thought out and perfect. Pacing was perfect. The tension building and snappy unexpected violence at times.. just wow. The unbelievability of the mobster ties and the surreal way characters acted and spoke only added to the quality.pramodc84
Check out shot compositions for this movie by Tony Zhou -Drive (2011) - The Quadrant System
You might want to watch movie again!
cfish80
Kind of overrated, but I liked it. Nice casting, beautiful cinematography, hypnotic soundtrack.Life as Fiction
During this ride, which can effectively be described as a classic noir tale with a penchant for real violence, there is nary a hole that can be poked. Every second is necessary, every shot elegant, every piece of music supports the action on the screen. Every question normally asked of a film, this one answers either with some level of extrapolation or faith in its characters. Gosling, credited simply as "Driver," is reminiscent of Clint Eastwood's The Man with No Name. We gradually discover over time that he's exactly the kind of person missing in 99% of Hollywood cinema: One that doesn't cop out. That, in itself, is a tremendous victory. •••sammysin
And a real heeeero.Jashezilla
A stylish, adrenaline-fueled thrill rush from start to finish. The cinematography is amazing and the uniquely haunting soundtrack really puts everything into the next gear. Only gripe with it is that the characters never stay true to themselves, character traits are set-up only to be ignored later down the track. Good film though, and Ryan Gosling killed it as always.sve
a real human beingnick121235
Excellent movie, some wonderful shots, I thought the story fell a bit weak but the soundtrack was amazing.Awescillot
Brilliant movie.I've read the book too (by James Sallis), but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. The book was just terrible. None of the things that made the movie into what it is, can be found in there. Hossein Amini however, who wrote the screenplay, did a hell of a job and really set the tone. Winding Refn showed he can deliver a great movie, and he added certain things that really complement the story (however not present in the screenplay).
8.5/10, hands down.
jaana
So much hype over this movie and it was merely average. Was it just me or is Drive completely overrated? Watched it to the end solely for Ryan Gosling.Big A2
Kinda sad how this movie was once in heaps of lists when the festival-goers were seeing it and then it dropped out after all the teeny-boppers and dudebros saw it.On cinema at the cinema
I give it 4 bags of popcorn! I thought it was great. Dialogue is a little slow in the beginning, but just give it some time.dippygirl78
I didn't get it, sorry but I thought the violence was gratuitous and the story weak. The highlight for me was Bryan Cranston, what an actor! He lit up every scene he was in with his talent... the same couldn't be said for anyone else though...ikkegoemikke
Driver: I'll see you in five minutes.Standard: I'll see you in four.
This one was standing in line already for a long time to be watched. Looking at the number of responses on IMDB, my expectations about it went sky high. Here and there I've read it would be a unique masterpiece, quite arty and directed in a Tarantino kind of way. And I have to admit, those expectations were met.
I thought Ryan Gosling would be kind of a modern version of James Dean who makes female movie-fans swoon with his blue puppy eyes. But what an excellent anti-chick flick interpretation he puts into this movie. With the leather gloves, the emotionless facial expression and the high value on the coolness thermometer he surely reminded me of James Dean. At other times, he seemed to be a fear toothpick chewing loner from a spaghetti western made by Morricone.
In retrospect, "Drive" really is a brilliant movie. Indeed, it's an arty dark movie, without a lot of complicated plots and twists, yet straight-to-the-point. Aggressive and poetic, interwoven with a slow-building romance, horrifying at times with explicit violent images. The composition and progress in this movie is sometimes enervating slow in the beginning, with a lot of silenced pauses that really started to work on my nerves a bit. "Rehearsing this script was a piece of cake for him" I thought after about 15 minutes. Eventually, the silence and the expressions say more than a magnificent elaborate dialogue.
In my opinion, the storyline itself was masterly. A timid stunt driver/mechanic overloaded with Antarctic coolness, offering his services in the late hours as a getaway driver. Eventually he becomes a valiant knight for the neighbor in trouble whose wife (Carey Mulligan) seems to be a cool, aloof woman. But she succeeds in sneaking into his emotional world of feelings in an extremely slow manner. Finally it all ends up in a complicated rip off plan of some local thugs. Beautiful atmospheric images of LA with "Grand Theft Auto"-like situations.
And yet sometimes I thought that those meaningless pauses could have been left out, without prejudice to the overall atmosphere of the film. The soundtrack was also a positive contribution. Usually the music passes by without attracting my attention. In "Drive" it was appropriate and relevant.
I found this review at IMDB. I don't agree with it completely, but some points were right on target. I liked this because of its use of super humorous terms,writing style and content.
Plot synopsis
1) Driver is driver. He's like the Transporter from the movie, except 1/14th as interesting.
2) He goes home after job ,finds girl,girl has boy, girl has husband in prison.
3) Driver wants to be a mechanic, or a Nascar Driver, or a criminal, or a Movie Stunt Driver...or maybe a space shuttle pilot? or President of Uganda, who knows.
4) Husband of girl gets out of jail, and he owes money to mafia guys. Drivers likes girl, so he helps husband.
5) Husband robs pawn shop and dies. Seems that he's been set up by mafia guys as a frame job and Husband gets dead'ed.
6) Driver gets even. Kills everyone. For a while, dressed in a stunt driver mask.
7) Driver gets killed, but lives, or something, driver drives off.
More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT
mrpinbert
I had consumed too many sugar products beforehand.Made it hard for me to get into the film at the beginning.
But obviously the acting, hypnotic cinematography and the soundtrack, drew me into it's little world.
A 7/10 for now. Probably an 8 or even 9 out of 10 on a re-watch, fantastic film.
Showing items 1 – 15 of 159