Ryan Gosling stabs a man in the throat. Blood spurts out on his face. He then takes the shotgun from the dying man's hand and shoots the living daylights out of another man with a revolver. As the music blares on, he quietly stands there and looks at the gruesome scene. The camera zooms into his face, glaring into his eyes, waiting for him to emote. He just looks on.
Drive is a slow, brooding and gruesome film. The atmospheric music keeps you on your toes. The tension is not in the pace, it's because of the lack of it.
Ryan is a stunt rider who also helps thieves escape from scenes of crime. He hardly sleeps as he also works as a mechanic in a garage. He doesn't speak much. He just does it all with a toothpick in his mouth and a poker face. His life turns when he meets his neighbour and her son. He bonds with them and gets attached. This relation leads him into a dangerous situation, but he is determined to save his friends.
The film promises to be a rollercoaster and turns out to be a slow ride into a haunted house, with a few chills. The director not only tries to show you a scene, but also manages to grab hold of you and draw you in. The lingering shots, the heavy music helps you to feel each breath taken by the characters. There are no jump cuts, the scenes are full of long shots, staying on the scene much longer than anticipated or expected.
But even though the emotion is raw, the style is extraordinary, the film does manage to bore. Initially the novelty keeps you glued, but after some time, you just want to see what happens next, but it takes a long time coming.
Ryan Gosling hardly emotes. When he is spoken to, he chooses his words carefully. He looks deep into the person he is talking to and ever so rarely gives a fleeting smile. Carey Mulligan, as the troubled neighbour, is sombre and complements Gosling perfectly. Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman as the Mafioso partners are menacing enough.
Watch it only if you can have the appetite for reels with feel. Do not expect an adrenaline rush, expect a psychedelic trance! But please, don’t sleep.. or you would miss the pulp and the gore.
Rating : 6.5 / 10
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