Ryan Gosling in "Drive"; photo courtesy of Film District

“Drive” (Film District)

“Drive” is a movie of mood, music and mayhem. For the first half the film appears to be all about the setting and the ambiance. Characters are met, jobs are defined, relationships are explained – and then all hell breaks loose. Director Nicolas Winding Refn knows how to spring a surprise and he does it over and over with jaw-dropping scenes of violence.

The Driver, aka “The Kid,” (Ryan Gosling) is a stunt driver/car mechanic during the day and at night hires himself out to drive petty crooks to and from their crime scenes. He is a man of few words and even fewer emotions. That however changes when he meets the pretty neighbor down the hall in his apartment building. He is drawn to Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son Benecio (Kaden Leos), even after he learns her husband is serving time in prison and will be released soon.

When Irene’s husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) comes home Driver befriends him too. Later his relationship with Standard will get him involved in a job that has danger written all over it. But because of Driver’s feelings for Irene he wants to assist Standard any way he can. It is at this halfway point in the movie that the violence begins to break out.

Gosling is an actor who can create a mood and a moody character. Some will applaud his turn as a man of mystery while others will see it as just being pretentious in the worst way. Whatever your opinion he will hold your attention. Plus he shows his romantic side in this film even opposite an actress who shows no chemistry with him.

The supporting cast is solid across the board. Bryan Cranston is creaky and sniveling as Driver’s boss. Albert Brooks is foul–mouthed and violent as one of Driver’s backers for a race car career. Ron Pearlman is even more foul-mouthed as Brooks’ partner. Christina Hendricks is an added plus as a woman of mystery who is part of a theft job.

The movie is rated R for violence, profanity and nudity.

“Drive” is European in flavor and slow moving in its execution. You have to let the film’s rhythm wash over you and keep you in time and in touch with the events of the movie. This languid pacing, especially at the start of the film, may not be to everyone’s liking. Others will call it brilliant.

For me “Drive” was a little on the pretentious side but Gosling’s performance and the injection of unexpected violence made it worth watching.

I scored “Drive” a cruising 6 out of 10.