Drive

A faux or Pass?

Romantic film viewers, such as ,myself will claim Ryan Gosling as the man who is Noah (from the Notebook), they elegant, committed man who we all wish to find - the Romeo of our generations, if you like. I was a lit bit dumfounded then when I witnessed Ryan Gosling in ‘Drive’. I will mention his name numerous times in this article as every aspect of him: his presence, his hair, his aura is all undeniably beautiful in this feature film.

He plays a multi-talented, slightly shady bloke who is a Hollywood stunt driver and a mechanic. He is also a real-life bona fide stud. The film directed by Nicholas Winding Refn also Co-Stars Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Albert Brooks who all par considerably high next to Gosling.

What gripped me most is the lack of the dialogue and infact a large portion of the story is bought to life through the panning and the wide-view shots of the city and characters. The cinematography and the simple-but-very-well-received poignant stares by the actors make this film what it is, very enjoyable with a powerful story that keeps you reeled in throughout. If you watch the film with this in mind, this will take you back to the Classical Period. This isn’t the only contemporary film takes me back to a better [lace, alas it is the only one I have watched recently which has achieved.

Think back to ‘Calamity Jane’, when Doris Day would give such snarling looks at Bill (the man of her dreams but also the character in her nightmares), think of Jimmy ‘James’ Stewart in Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Rope’, as he tears the truth from the antagonists through his mere eye expressions. Those were the days when dialogue was used when essential not to fill a void, which unfortunately is how I feel about the script in a lot of modern films, not all though.

So, to go with this dated-back feel that had found me. I also want to point out the track. As the intro hits and we are shown an array of images, of Gosling in a car looking intent and of California’s cultural heights, a bass sounds. As he looks calm and collected in his car as he speeds once the traffic lights have changed, the bass keeps building, the tension hangs for a long time, another reminder to me of the Hitchcock days. The whole period of time where it is sounding puts me on edge, I therefore say a great intro to a film.

The whole soundtrack is spectacular. My favourite scene is cemented by a beautiful song, see if you have the same reaction.