“Drive” stars Ryan Gosling as an unnamed, enigmatic stunt driver who moonlights as a wheelman for criminals and hi know how to find ip location . Hah. He also works in an auto repair shop with Shannon (Bryan Cranston), an ex-stuntman who also manages the driver’s “gigs.” The Driver strikes up a friendship with his sweet but troubled neighbor (Carey Mulligan) and her son, which leads to him getting involved in a heist that puts him in a bit over his head. The less said about the plot from there, the better, as part of the pleasure of this film is the way it slowly escalates and goes into unexpected places.
On paper, “ Drive ” could potentially come off as a fairly standard noir story, but what sets it apart is Winding Refn’s unique style and direction, which can perhaps be described as part Tarantino, part Michael Mann, and part mad European genius. He displays a knack for simmering, slow burn tension that explodes into shocking moments of action and violence. Refn also manages to balance those moments with the more delicate ones involving Gosling and Mulligan. This is perfectly exemplified in a sure to be classic scene that takes place in an elevator.
Gosling continues to prove himself as one of the more exciting actors of our time, even in a slightly more understated role. There is never too much learned or said about his character, but there always seems to be something going on under the surface. He can flip a switch and go from sweet and harmless to volatile and dangerous in an instant. The rest of the cast does excellent work as well, including Albert Brooks in a surprising non-comedic turn.