Drive

Ryan Gosling is having a run of films in cinemas at the moment. We've just had 'Crazy, Stupid, Love.' and now get 'Drive'.

This is the first film I've seen that was directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. He has certainly crafted a very stylish film. It is obviously set today but has been made to look like it was made in the 1980's. The music and titles especially set up this tone. The rest of the film is very well filmed with excellent editing and camera work. The story is pretty familiar. A criminal who falls in love and that relationship leads to his downfall. But in cases like this, while you know where the story is going it is whether or not the journey is any good. This is an excellent journey. Nicolas tells the story really well and there are some interesting twists. I must warn the squeamish though that the film is quite violent and bloody.

Ryan is probably the greatest actor working today. He is proving to be so versatile in his choices for roles. Here he plays a really cool, calm and smooth operator. He has barely any lines to say in the film so most of the emotion of the character you must try to interpret in his face. His driving driving skills are quite exceptional too. Carey Mulligan play the object of Ryan's affection very well. She is mostly just a plot point but brings some nice vulnerability to her performance. Bryan Cranston makes a nice friend for Ryan's character. The biggest surprise though is Albert Brooks. He is mostly known for his comedic roles but is excellent at playing a mob boss in this film. He plays nasty really well.

There was the woman in the USA who wants to sue the makers of 'Drive' for deceptive marketing. From the trailer she expected a film like 'The Fast & The Furious' series. This is very true and a good way of making a case for how good the film is. It is a clever and well made thriller with excellent car chases.