A series of images is shown to you, each held by the auteur on a string, releasing and pulling back, toying with your interest. Pause and silence are tools that are as old as cinema itself. The silent era makers mastered it and many legendary film makers have used it since. ‘Drive’ transports you to a mythical nether world, where time and space has its own meaning, an artistic take on a visceral subject. The unnamed Driver in character is a bit like Jason Statham’s in The Transporter. He is only interested in the job, not in the context. But he is quieter and deeper, rarely talks. Driver works at a garage, whose owner tries to get him to be a race car driver, by arranging for finance from a gangster Bernie Rose and his doubting parter, Nino. He befriends his neighbor, a young mother Irene, whom he falls in love with, but withdraws upon learning of her jailbird husband, Standard, who is to be released.
When Standard comes out, he promises to go clean but is forced to do one final job to pay an old debt. Wanting Irene and her son to have a safe life, Driver volunteers to drive the getaway car for Standard. When things go wrong, Driver needs to figure out who is behind it and how to protect Irene.
While the story is fairly plain, the usp of Drive is its outstanding screenplay by Iranian writer Hossein Amini. He succeeds in creating a film about longing, set in this small little world of five to six people. Nicolas Winding Refn, brings Amini’s words to life and plays with pace and silence in creating moments that leave you on the edge, in anticipation. His depiction of the romance between Driver and Irene is more about what is hidden, than what is shown.
Ryan Gosling’s performance is superb. It’s very hard to play a role that requires you to convey more by doing less. His chemistry with the charming Carey Mulligan is excellent. She effectively portrays a sad young woman, holding on to the feeling of love, while being aware of the reality of her life. Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman as the gangster bosses lend good support.
‘Drive’ has depth. A good watch.
