Drive (2011)

[JD]

On Moviefone:

Drive: 53% (I think it was 38% Saturday when I first checked)
Straw Dogs: 84%

...the reviews I've read of Drive haven't told my anything of the plot... all I know still is that he's a stunt driver and mob driver and that he stares a lot.

Straw Dogs, while not a real good movie - well, at least I knew what I was getting into.

 

[JD]

Actually after checking Rotten Tomatoes, I've learned more about the flick than anywhere else.

But, the review I read saying it should've been called 'Stare' cause Gosling does a lot of starting has me steering clear of it for the time being.

 

[mmarlon brando]

Actually after checking Rotten Tomatoes, I've learned more about the flick than anywhere else.

But, the review I read saying it should've been called 'Stare' cause Gosling does a lot of starting has me steering clear of it for the time being.

That comment doesn't do his performance justice, IMO. Yes, he speaks less than 20 lines of dialogue throughout the entire film. But he doesn't need to talk to convey his emotions, and in fact when he does it actually just makes his words more powerful. So many want constant banter, but it's not necessary. He's able to get his point across through his facial expressions and his actions, and to me that sold him as an incredibly dangerous person.

 

[Birdie]

The reviews I read also didn't say much about the plot....will probably catch it on DVD.

 

[geordietrooper]

so is it better than transporter ?

ps. just read the drive director wants to make a new logans run

 

[HAL9000]

The reviews I've skimmed and everything I've seen just don't look that great. Can someone sum it up a bit without being to spoileriffic?

Thanks in advance.

Lost in Translation meets Miami Vice.

 

[JD]

I saw it this evening.

I didn't think it was great, but I've definitely seen worse movies. I did find this painfully slow at times and it really seemed to play a little too much on awkward silences. The violence didn't seem too overdone (except maybe the elevator)... but yeah, I get that some might get Resevoir Dogs vibe from it (although, RD is much more violent).

I understand why someone thought it should've just been called 'Stare.' I can't say Gosling is a great actor simply from this performance... frankly, he didn't do enough - I get that he is playing a very underspoken character that might convey much more with a look than a book of words, but it could also just be great editing in finding that 'look' and using it.

 

[robstyle]

"Drive" had about 12 minutes of actual driving and about 45 minutes of long stares, the soundtrack was laughable at best as it just didnt fit. If you have ever played Grand Theft Auto you will quickly see many scenes and such which GTA has itself taken from films. With the silly music and opening credits sequence it was just like a GTA game. It was so much like a Michael Mann film that it had the standard keyboard music, wide lens everything, sprawling city scape and night shots, drawn out painfully boring love interest story, useless side stories and characters that could just be edited out and again, too much dead air staring.

Whats missing is a back story opening sequence that would bring something to the character, why he is that way and what he has lost to end up there. It would be great if he were an actual villain in the sequence as well so you know he is capable of more than just a stare.

 

[berger]

just saw it, thought it was great. i LOVED the soundtrack and thought it fit well with the movie.

 

[Clone]

As far as the violence goes in this film, it was very necessary to not only show the loss of control that Driver was experiencing but so that you (the viewer) can feel the shock and awe of what is going on, just like the characters in the scenes. For example, the elevator scene that got ugly would undoubtedly shock any viewer, which wouldn't begin to depict the fear and distress that Irene felt.

And by the way, this is definitely one of the best movies i know.

 

[Amish Trooper]

Loved it. Don't care about a back story and yes I really dug the soundtrack. I love how this was described as a violent John Hughes movie. :thumbsup

 

[Amish Trooper]

I went and watched this again. I really do dig it.

 

[terryr]

Reminds me of The Driver from the 70s. Steve McQueen was supposed to do it but backed out so Ryan O'Neal did his impersonation of him. Now Ryan Gosling gives it a try.

 

[Zombie_61]

Ryan Gosling plays a really slow character.

When I read something like this, to me the term "slow" implies the character isn't too bright mentally; I'd say his character was "deliberate", not slow. And, yeah, he definitely doesn't say much.

I liked Drive, though I thought it could have been better. For those who haven't seen it and are questioning the basic plot, Ryan Gosling plays a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a wheelman, and finds himself in a bad situation when a heist goes wrong. Solid performances throughout, especially from Albert Brooks and Bryan Cranston, but the pacing is extremely slow during the first half of the movie. And I would agree with the comments about it having the feel of a Michael Mann film.

As for the soundtrack, I disliked it so much that it almost ruined the movie for me. And my friend and I walked out of the theater in complete agreement that that kind of "moody synthesizer" soundtrack already sounded dated when it was so heavily overused in the 80s. But that's just my opinion.

Would I recommend it? Hard to say. It's definitely more "film noir crime drama" than "car movie", so anyone going in expecting the next Fast and the Furious or Transporter will be seriously disappointed.

 

[Toshi Chris]

I'm in the camp that enjoyed the movie. The trailers certainly give the impression this is an all-out action flick in the vein of The Transporter or The Fast and the Furious. Not the case. You'll be disappoint if that's where your expectations are.

The minimal dialogue didn't bother me at all. The story was easy to understand.

I thought the quick, explosive violence matched the nature of the Driver's side-work. A wheelman needs to remain cool until action is absolutely needed. My wife thought it went a little over the top (which it probably did - violence off frame can be just as effective as what we see in Driver).

 

[Noeland]

I didn't care for it. As I've posted elsewhere on the world wide web, I thought Gosling's character was mentally ill, and was unable to hold meaningful conversations with most people who are not children. He talks more with a kid than anyone else. But also, the character came off as creepy to me. In several scenes, he did just stare with a blank expression on his face.

I'm a big McQueen fan, and anybody comparing him to McQueen is not. Gosling doesn't even come close.

My other big issue with it is just how predictable and stale the plot was. It was paper thin, and there was not a moment of story that takes place in this film that you don't see coming. It also has a terribly contrived connection between characters that helped ruined the film for me. We only meet about 10 characters in the film for crying out loud, and the driver helping his neighbor should have been random and unconnected. I was extremely disappointed with the story.

I was unimpressed with the depiction of violence. Mostly because it had no consequences. You cave a man's head in, it makes a mess. A HUGE mess. I get it, it's "stylized" but when they cut away from that and the rest of the film happens like that scene did not. It bothers me. That was a public elevator in his apartment building, and she was clearly involved, which brings me to another issue I had with this flick.

No police. I would imagine that they chose to do this because it was already so close to The Driver anyway.

The Driver (1978) Police Chase Scene - High Quality - YouTube

That including a "detective" as they did in Walter Hill's The Driver, would mean they'd have to start calling it a remake. The opening chase borrows heavily from this scene.

After the shootout in the hotel happening the same day as the pawn shop thing, and then the elevator, then the cliff, then parking lot, the body in auto shop, etc, etc. It's not going to take detectives much effort to connect those dots. Not to mention, Nino and Bernie would already be on their radar.

 

[Ray22]

My ex saw it before I did she said she hated it because it was slow, so when she said this I knew I would like it because she loves those blow em-up shoot-em up, predictable cookie cutter action movies. When this movie was made they set out for a certain look and feel which worked, on the violent scenes I felt the way they filmed it just made it looked cheap, like when Brooks stabs the guy in the eye with a fork then goes for a Knife then to come back to cut his throat really made it look like they had a bad special effects guy also with the elevator scene ,I would have filmed Brooks from behind grabbing and cutting the guys throat while he struggles and kicks around and pull the camera back and show Rons expression then just fade out, it would be more effective to leave it up to the viewers imagination like wow he cut his throat wonder what it looks like? The driving sequences were short but well done. You'll either like it or you won't.

 

[Agent RayBans]

For those of you who went and saw Drive expecting Fast and the Furious, it looks like now might be the time to get your money back and then some.

:confused

Detroit Woman Sues Because 'Drive' Wasn't 'Fast Five' | Movie News | Movies.com

 

[CessnaDriver]

Sues because it was not the summer slop as usual! LOL

I love it!

I love this movie even more now.

 

[Rasko]

I passed on Drive and opted for the Straw Dogs remake... it was due to some of the reviews I read and timing issues.

The review that ulitmately made me pass was the one were the reviewer thought the movie should've been called 'Stare' as apparently Ryan Gosling does a lot of staring in the movie. I dunno, I didn't see it - I still might, but I haven't read much other than he's a stunt driver and mob delivery guy - I get little else about plot.

Resevoir Dogs is my favorite Tarantino flick and something I enjoy quite a bit.

Hi,

can't you make up your own mind? Why do you need a reviewer to tell you what movie to watch?