Drive (www.the-usher.com)

"You give me a time and a place, I give you a five-minute window."

A lonely Hollywood stunt driver (Gosling) takes on too much when he agrees to help out his neighbour Irene’s husband Standard (Isaac) rob someone to get their family out of debt. When the heist goes disastrously wrong, he has to take on local mobsters Bernie Rose (Brooks) and Nino (Pearlman) to keep Irene and her son safe but this will mean giving up and risking everything.

Once in a while a film comes along that grabs your attention, draws you in and then slaps you in the face, Drive is that kind of film.

Based on the novel by James Sallis, Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn, the man who brought us ‘Valhalla Rising’, ‘Pusher’ and Bronson’, introduces us to a character that is destined to become iconic. Known simply as The Driver, Ryan Gosling’s performance as a stuntman by day and a getaway driver by night loner has cinematic icon written all over it but what might have been seen as a simple urban gangster film is so much more.

The story sets outs on a well-trodden path. Here we have a driver who will transport anyone, whatever their occupation, to any destination with no questions asked and a guarantee of not getting caught by the authorities. His is a lonely existence with only local garage owner Shannon, played by Brian Cranston, believing in his abilities and wanting to take him all the way to NASCAR. That dream needs money and the only way Shannon can get it is to call in a favour from local gangster Bernie Rose but all favours come at a price. While Shannon wheels and deals, the Driver gets to know his neighbour Irene, played by Carey Mulligan, and her son Benicio. Finally getting close to someone, their world is turned upside down when Irene’s husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) is granted an early release from prison. Still owing money for his time in prison, he begs the Driver to help him with a job that will clear all his debts and set his family up for life. What happens next completely turns the story on its head, slaps you in the face with a violent backhand and then takes you on a ride of brutality and bloodshed.

It is this twist, along with the exceptional performances from Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Brian Cranston and Albert Brooks that makes ‘Drive’ a cinematic classic. Stylistic with a driving score by Cliff Martinez, director Nicolas Winding Refn has created a film that draws from the character driven pieces of the 70s and creates a protagonist who epitomizes the anti-hero. The look of the film reflects the style, as the Los Angeles locals are lit with neon and low levels of light to draw you into this underworld. You just have to watch the elevator scene between the Driver and Irene to know that you are watching something special.

‘Drive’ is a cult classic in the making. This is a film that will stay with you for a very long time and one that you will want to share or introduce people to. Violent, uncompromising and incredibly stylistic, director Nicolas Winding Refn proves again that he is a director to watch and someone who has a real passion for the cinematic experience.

Q&A with director Nicolas Winding Refn from the BFI
2 x Poster Galleries - “Capturing Drive: The Anatomy of a Film Poster” & “Reflecting Drive: Alternative Poster Designs”
Stills Gallery
“Drive in 60 seconds” TV spot
UK Theatrical Trailer.

The Usher Home | Hush, Hush... | The Big Story | The Usher Speaks

Stuck @ Home | Coming Soon | Links | Contact the Usher

2011