Review: DRIVE - The Best Film That I Didn't Get To See In 2011
Prologue - The editor of a film magazine once criticized my reviews for using too many personal pronouns - 'I's. In response to that, I did not write a single 'I' in my 20 plus reviews that followed, though I really didn't believe doing so made my reviews any more readable or professional. It wasn't until I spoke with a friend recently that I realized the simple fact that the only important things are that I enjoy writing the reviews and some people like reading them. Therefore, from now on, my reviews will have plenty of 'I's, and I specially dedicate this review to T.G., my professor friend.
Review - If DRIVE weren't made in English; Hollywood would without doubt have bought its remake rights and turned it into a Michael Bay-type blockbuster that features lots of 'graceful, stylish and engaging' action scenes. And why not, it has a central character who can do anything when behind the wheel, a tender love affair, and a bunch of villains for our hero to take care of. But do not be fooled by its title or trailer, DRIVE is not FAST FIVE; not like FAST FIVE; and not even an art-house version of FAST FIVE. DRIVE is much more a drama concerned about the nameless central character known as 'Driver' than driving. Also, it is violent without being action-packed.
Nicolas Winding Refn's direction of DRIVE oozes freshness, style and sensitivity; and he draws incredibly good performances from all his cast. Ryan Gosling is amazingly cool as the quiet hero who doesn't talk much or show much emotion. Without many dialogues or facial expressions, Gosling manages to subtly draw viewers into the mysterious world of his character. In my opinion, he certainly deserves to be nominated for and win the Best Actor Oscar for his compelling performance. Beautiful actress Carey Mulligan is likeable as Irene, Driver's love interest. The chemistry between Gosling and Mulligan in their roles is both natural and palpable, and many of their scenes together have incredibly few dialogues and yet tell us much about their developing relationship. The supporting cast of actors are also solid, with the standouts being Bryan Cranston as a down and out former stuntman, and Albert Brooks in a rather surprising (and ingeniously cast) role as a villain.
One particular scene deserves a special mention. In what is destined to become a classic scene in film history, we see Driver in the lift with Irene. A long passionate kiss is followed by a sudden burst of violence. While watching that scene, a couple of thoughts crossed my mind. Besides secretly wishing that I were Gosling, the scene also reminded me of a memorable scene from Wong Kar Wai's impressive (and underrated) directorial debut AS TEARS GO BY, in which Andy Lau kisses Maggie Cheung in a phone booth for a good 45 seconds. The violence that follows is easy to anticipate but still manages to shock. That scene really seems to encapsulate the essence of the whole film in just a few minutes.
Before watching DRIVE, I had the impression that almost every film critic out there was raving about it. After watching the film, I have become one of a large group of film critics who love DRIVE. To me, its juxtaposition of romantic tenderness and brutal violence is mesmerizing, and in the end, DRIVE manages to leave me completely breathless.
DRIVE is distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Pinnacle Films, and will be available on DVD and Blu-ray from March 2012.
