If you like anything about Michael Mann and his style of movie making then you will love the new movie Drive. Starring the new hot kid on the block right now, Ryan Gosling and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive is an ode to those 80's movies like Michael Mann's Thief and Gary Sherman's classic Vice Squad. Coming off his violent last film Valhalla Rising starring Mads Mikkelsen it seems Nicolas went in a completely different direction and studied those films I mentioned earlier. It seems like he also read and fell in love with the novel of the same name by James Sallis who also co-wrote the screenplay. Now when I saw the trailer and commercials for this film I thought this was a remake of Walter Hill's classic The Driver starring Ryan O'Neil and Bruce Dern. I love that movie so I was very interested in seeing Drive. Well let's just say this movie is no remake.
Now along for the ride with Gosling is a pretty damn talented cast. Playing the possible love interest is Carey Mulligan from Wall Street II playing Winnie Gekko, Gordon's daughter. There's also a psychopathic turn by Ron Perlman, a seriously unfunny Albert Brooks, and a sympathetic Bryan Cranston. Drive also stars Christina Hendricks, Oscar Isaac, and if you were wondering whatever happened to Russ Tamblyn from West Side Story fame, well he turns up here as Doc. Now in my opinion that's a collection of talented actors which takes this movie to another level. The story is a simple story and really not much to work with but the performances are fantastic.
Also what's so fantastic about this film is the look of it. The cinematography of Newton Thomas Sigel gives this movie the look of that other Michael Mann classic Heat. Intense close-ups, vivid colors, amazingly beautiful aerial shots, and a handful of slow motion shots gives the film a Heat like atmosphere. There's also a touch of David Lynch thrown in for good measure and if you like Lynch and you see this movie you'll know his influences when you see them.
The story follows our un-named part time stunt driver, part time mechanic, and part time getaway driver through his life. It starts off with his repeated line "If I drive for you, you give me a time and a place. I give you a five-minute window, anything happens in that five minutes and I'm yours no matter what. I don't sit in while you're running it down; I don't carry a gun... I drive". That's just what he does, drive and the movie opens showing you just how well he does that. He's a loner and seemingly detached from the world around him until the world around him smiles in his direction. His neighbor Irene and her young son Benicio enter into the drivers world and suddenly he feels a connection with someone other than his boss Shannon played by Bryan Cranston.
Unfortunately the sexual tension that exists between the driver and Irene has to be put on hold when her husband gets released from prison. Once that happens the movie shifts gears and gets decidedly violent. Standard, played by Oscar Isaac is indebted to those that kept him safe behind bars and they want him to repay his debt by pulling a job for them. His decline brings him an vicious beating in front of his son and is told that they will kill his family should he say no again. His son is given the gift of a bullet and was told not to lose it by one of those that beat his dad. The driver feels compelled to help him in order to make sure everyone survives. Of course that doesn't happen.
This film also comes complete with Jan Hammer musical flourishes. The score by Cliff Martinez harkens back to the days of Miami Vice (just like the font used for the credits). The pop songs sound like they are straight from the 80's as well. I seriously think once this movie has left the theaters it will become a cult classic. Now if you didn't like Heat and were never a Miami Vice or a Michael Mann fan then you probably won't like this movie. If you are though then I highly recommend it. Enjoy it and I'll see you at the theater.
