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One of the lasting images of the cinematic year will be Ryan Gosling’s eyes reflected in a rearview mirror, the lights of a nocturnal Hollywood dancing across his million-dollar face. In “Drive,” the latest from Cannes Best Director winner Nicolas Winding Refn (“Bronson”), Gosling plays a stuntman/getaway-driver-for-hire who can maneuver a vehicle like he’s merely an extension of its engine. And what lies behind those steely blue peepers? An antihero for the times: A disconnected, unconsciously apathetic societal outcast whose strong, silent disposition is veiled over a deeper, propulsive need for love and purpose.
Which is not to say “Drive” itself is particularly deep — it’s a movie largely defined by its slick, stylistic surface, which Refn buffs to gleaming perfection. From the unforgettable synth soundtrack to the patterned wallpaper in a motel room to the passing beacon of a lighthouse that illuminates a climactic scuffle, the Danish director, whom Gosling handpicked for the job, is in such consummate control of this tacky-classy-cool production, it’s staggering.
When shocking jolts of gruesome violence erupt (such as a graphic stabbing by a gangster played by a teeth-gnashing Albert Brooks, or the much-discussed stomping of a henchman’s head in an elevator), they achieve an awe-inspiring collision of grit and grace. When Gosling trades dreamy glances with the neighbor (Carey Mulligan) awakening his id, the retro/contempo techno music plays as if neon cosmos were swirling just off screen. And when Gosling drives, Refn pulls you into the car, the sound design so pulsatingly strong you can feel the growl of the motor in your bones.
At once bracingly fresh and hugely influenced by vintage tone and craft, “Drive” — which sees Gosling’s vigilante steer his way through the deadly aftermath of a botched heist — channels everything from “Bullitt” to Travis Bickle to Clint Eastwood to “Vice City.”
Based on the novel by James Sallis, it was initially intended to be a diluted, formulaic tentpole product. But thanks to Refn, who both soups-up and streamlines, it’s something of a small masterwork.
Drive
R
Four reels out of four
Opens tomorrow in area theaters
Recommended Rental
Bridesmaids
R
Available Tuesday
The movie to beat for comedy of the year, “Bridesmaids” is so much more than its common, belittling label of “The Hangover for Girls.” Smart, effortlessly sweet and indecently funny, it features a killer ensemble of ace comediennes (including co-writer Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, and scene-stealer Melissa McCarthy) and it’s far too hip to notice that it’s scoring some major points for women in Hollywood. SPR
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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