Drive - a movie review

if you want flashy Hollywood action and insane stunts, go watch The Transporter. Drive, starring the ever-rising frontman Ryan Gosling, is not The Transporter. it is the stripped-down, unglamourized story of an ordinary man experiencing a quick descent into chaos.

the most striking feature of this film is the silence. audiences are usually bombarded with empty, unnatural dialogue and thumping background music. Drive utilizes silence, pauses and speaking voices tuned down to library level. it forces the watcher to think and reflect on the developing story - quite unlike the formulaic messages repeated ad nauseum in most movies today. it was clear from audience reaction that people are uncomfortable with having to quietly reflect on the grim realities of dangerous jobs and the things we do to eke out a living.

Drive will follow in the footsteps of the largely underrated Clooney film, The American. both stories illustrated the realities of people in occupations that seem glamourous: well-dressed assassin or criminal driver for hire. Hollywood would usually have you believe such people are wealthy, powerful individuals surrounded by both opulence and friends. not so. both characters were lonely with no roots, no wealth, no direction. it wasn't until, in their humanity, they attempted to reach out for the warmth of another person - and in trying to bridge this gap in their lives, they fell into a deeper darkness.

pop culture and the average movie-going audience will not appreciate Drive. it is a quietly intense thriller with subtle dialogue and realistic violence that has nothing gratuitous about it. it is uncomfortable and contemplative: two states of being sadly lacking in today's society.

two throttles up.