Shelby Harcher

Film Review 

Drive 

Drive isn't your typical "cops and robbers" film. The film bases its story around a guy and his car. Ryan Gosling is the driver for a getaway car which is evident in the opening scene. The opening sequence (the first 10 mins of the movie) gives you a first hand view on what it's like to be in "The Driver's" world. Showing close inside shots from the vehicle and no dialogue, you are on the edge of your seat while Gosling goes through obstacles to get away from the police. 

The opening sequence is a very important part of the film. Little to no dialogue shows exactly what kind of person The Driver is. It's clear that he has done this before based on the silence and calmness he creates. This scene gives us a view of Gosling's character without directly telling us who and what he does. Throughout the movie, Gosling's character is referred to "The Driver" showing his separation from the real world. 

Even though the opening scene portrays The Driver as a badass, of course the film creates some sort of love interest for this character. The Driver is asked to be the getaway driver for his neighbor who needs to pay back someone money, which he steals. In this important scene, the neighbor, Oscar Issac, conveniently gets killed during the robbery and conveniently leaves behind a wife. Of course this gives Gosling's character a chance to build a relationship with this woman. What kind of movie would it be if there wasn't a love story involved, especially one where she's in danger? 

The lighting in this movie was always dark and colors were bland and solid, giving you the felling of lack of liveliness and of course, danger. The Driver lives a dangerous life, which gets even more dangerous when he becomes on the bad side of the mob. Gosling's character spends the second half of the movie defending himself from the mob and of course protecting Irene's life, even if it means ruining their relationship from stomping a man's head off in an elevator. 

As the film's main storyline got more dramatic through the second half, so did the music. One particular scene where the musical score fit well was when Gosling goes to meet with the mob but ends up killing one of the members. As Gosling approaches the restaurant, which the gangsters own, a soft kind of creepy musical number plays while a woman softly sings. It gives you the vibe that something bad is going to happen, but without giving away how intense the next scene is. 

The overall story of Drive was a good one; a man, his car and danger. However, the love story was typical and unoriginal if I may say. Gosling's character made no character development and the "love story" seemed to just be there to catch the attention of a more diverse audience. 

Imagine taking the odd mystery and dark filming tone of "Fight Club" and combining it with the fast pace action and dynamic characters of "Transporter", Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive" is the outcome. Given the two films' reputation, one could infer that a similar combination of the two could result in an action packed, jaw dropping film, which "Drive" certainly provided; but one could also expect an original storyline and in depth characterization within the plot of the film, which it significantly lacked.

Ryan Gosling's "driver" or "the kid" or whoever his name really was, was an over-exaggerated an uncomfortably sporadic character. The opening scene set up what appeared to be a thrilling scene with a getaway driver who was skilled at what he was doing, but slowly faded into a boring conclusion as driver casually parked a car in a packed sports complex and walked out suspiciously, but with no confrontation from the police.

The one piece of positive feedback I will provide for this opening is the use of music and rhythm. The camera angles were very close up  but often focused on the background of the shot as the police helicopter searched for the suspects. The synchronization of the final seconds of the basketball game complimented the urgency of driver to get away from the cops. However, the only table setting that this scene was successful for, was introducing the lack of good dialogue and dull characterization of the protagonist.

In addition, there was a huge overuse of gore in this film. I'm sure that all action movie watchers enjoy seeing some nauseating murder scenes or destructive montages, but there was absolutely no build up to the action in this film. As a viewer, it was difficult for me to appreciate the girl getting her head blown off or  Driver's graphic stomping of the guy's face in the elevator, when there was no set up in the dialogue. The elevator scene could have easily shifted this movie from a forgotten piece of cinema to a work of art, if there were some compelling dialogue prior to it, or at least some deeper description of driver's character. Imagine trying to bring this scene up in a conversation to a friend 20 years from now:

"Hey, remember that bloody scene in the elevator… with that driver kid… yea I don't know his name, and there was no dialogue in the scene for me to jot your memory… oh well".

Cinematically this was a great movie, and a compelling scene. But the writing was horrible. The subplots were non suspensful. The characters had no depth, and worst of all, the protagonist didn't have a name. If your a future film maker, and are looking for examples of character development, plot structure, and diverse scene elements, "Drive" will successfully set you up for failure.

-Jason M. Davis

           The movie Drive, starring Ryan Gosling (Driver) and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, is about a Hollywood stuntman who finds himself in a troubled situation when he tries to help his neighbor’s husband collect some money to pay off dues.

            This was a very interesting movie. I can’t say that I enjoyed the characters, but the camera angles, soundtrack, and use of lighting were absolutely amazing. The use of camera angles is what truly set the tone of this movie. Throughout the film, I noticed that many of the scenes were shot from an upward angle to give Ryan Gosling (Driver) an intimidating feel, and make him a bit of a scary character. A perfect example of this is when Ryan Gosling is walking towards the dressing room with the hammer in his hand, and because this scene was shot in an upward angle, it made him seem very intimidating. Another scene that shows a great example as to why the camera angles were such a key element in this film is when Ryan Gosling enters his apartment for the first time. The camera angle that the director used for this scene allowed for Ryan Gosling’s shadow to block out the light shining through the window and create a perfect outline of himself, which for me, introduced Ryan Gosling’s character; a very mysterious, and creepy person.

            The next most important element was the soundtrack. The entire film was very dark and mysterious, and the songs that the director used did not match the tone of the movie very well because they were more on the “cheerful” side and outgoing, which made the movie even more eerie than it already was. The soundtrack also really added to Ryan Gosling’s character, and made him more threatening, and even scary at times.

            The third most important element was the lighting. Most of the film consisted of scenes that were very dim (disregarding that we watched it on the projector), which also really set the tone of the movie along with the camera angles and soundtrack. The little amount of lighting that was used consistently throughout the film added to the mysterious, and threatening side of Ryan Gosling’s character as well. However, the lighting had the most effectiveness during the elevator scene, when it was dimmed down, to focus in on the kiss between Driver and Irene. The use of lighting during this particular scene showed the importance of it, and that it was not only a turning point in the story, but also a huge turning point for Driver as well.

            There were many amazing scenes in this film, all of which were amazing because of the camera angles, soundtrack, and lighting. As I said before, one of the most important scenes in this film was the elevator scene when Driver kissed Irene for the first and last time. The way the lighting was used in this scene made it one of the most important because it added to the fact that that specific moment in the film was a game changer. Another important scene in this film was when Driver was walking towards the dressing room with the hammer in his hand. The camera angles used in this scene are what made it stand out because it made Driver seem very threatening, and someone that is not to be messed with. The scene that took place right after Driver was walking towards the dressing room is when Driver is on the phone with Nino standing over his henchman. For this particular scene, the camera was low to the ground facing up at Driver’s face with his hand gripped tightly around the hammer, which showed the side of Driver that he was trying to hide from Irene.

            Finally, the most important part of the movie for me was the beginning sequence. This is because all of the scenes that made up the intro of the movie were shot within the car, and made me understand the complexity of the storyline of the movie, and the style and flow of the movie as well. Also, the very little dialogue that Driver had in the beginning of the film made me develop an understanding of his character.

            I would have to say that he most compelling as well as most important storyline of Drive had to be the feelings between Driver and Irene because it developed and set up the start for the second storyline. If Driver and Irene didn’t develop a relationship, there would not have been another storyline within the film.

            It was excellent how the two storylines were woven together, however, the storyline between Driver and Irene was frustrating for me at times because there wasn’t much dialogue exchanged between them, which made it hard for me to connect to that part of the film.

            When it comes to the thematic elements, Drive was an amazing film, a work of art. However, I’m not sure whether or not I liked the characters of the film, especially Driver, because he didn’t have much dialogue, and not much of a personality to me as well. Although the lack of dialogue that Driver had made me very curious as to whom he was, and his background, it was still annoying for me at times. Overall, Driver was an excellent film, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is very much into watching movies, and focusing on the thematic elements.

“If I drive for you, you get your money. That's a guarantee. You tell me where we start, where we're goin', where we goin' afterwards, I give you five minutes when we get there. Anything happens in that five minutes then I'm yours, no matter what. Anything a minute either side of that and you're on your own. I don't sit in while you're running it down. I don't carry a gun. I drive.”  - Driver

Drive is a movie different from what we’ve seen in awhile. It’s style, the music, the vibe, just the whole feel around this film opens your mind, and put’s you in a rare world full of surprises.

  In the opening first scene, the viewer hit hard with Driver’s (Ryan Gosling) first words. We are given a glimpse of this odd character, and with no emotion to go off of, the only thing the viewer is forced to hold on to, is the meanings behind his words, as he talks on the phone running down his code, “I drive.”

Be warned if you go into this movie expected your regular “The Transporter”, type feel, you will be wrong. Drive more of an art apposed to just a straight up film. Different aspects of the film such as lighting, dialogue, setting, and the big question, “Why this day?” Meaning why should we care about this character? What makes this driver such an important aspect of the film that the viewer should pay attention to him? These are all questions that the director Nicolas Winding Refn was ready to answer.

  At the beginning the viewer is shown “the driver” standing in a room on a cell phone. He isn’t having a conversation with the person on the other end, he is more so telling his business, and what he will and will not do. He is not up for negotiation. This means that whoever is on the other end of the phone has to accept the meaning of the words, “I drive.”

  So without spoiling too much of this great film, Ryan Gosling plays the nameless character known as “Driver”, or at times “the Kid.” He is a loner, and the viewer isn’t given much detail of his past, meaning that the viewer doesn’t know what he is capable of. What we are given the impression of at first is that he is a serious, quite character who is experienced at driving. By day he is a stunt driver for movies, and by night he is helping criminals make clean getaways from the police. A kind of character who we can’t judge as a good, or bad guy at first hand.

So we are introduced to other important characters like his boss at a garage named Shannon, but the main characters that result in “Driver” showing his true colors, is a mother named Irene, and her child Benicio. We find out that the father is in jail, and that she is basically alone. So again without giving too much, it is obvious to see that,”Driver” starts to hang around the family, and become close to them growing a relationship with them.

  The story then takes a major turn for,”Driver,” when he finds out that the husband is on his way back from prison. The husband gets into a money problem, and,”Driver,” decides to help out, (since he has experience in that field.” Of course the job goes horribly wrong, and now, “Driver,” is forced to the edge and has to fight back to protect Irene, her child, and himself from the threat that faces them.

  The whole theme, the entire feel you get out of;”Drive” has an insane retro vibe to it, from the amazing choices in music, to the mysterious scorpion jacket the main character wears throughout the film. Visually the film is beautiful after the first sequence with him escaping the cops, the opening credits were amazing to look at. The song used in the opening credits was, “Nightcall” by Kavinsky, and what is really interesting about this song, is that throughout it there is a certain line that relates to the main character. “There is something inside you, it’s hard to explain, they’re talking about you boy, but you’re still the same.”

Hearing this song as you watch an expressionless Ryan Gosling drive around a nightlife city of California really puts you in the mood. But it makes me think that there might be something odd, or wrong with this character. Since like in the song, there is something about that is hard to explain. Meaning that when we finish the movie we will find that the characters that interact with him have an odd relationship with him, because of the way he acts. And maybe the viewer still won’t understand him, and we will be, “talking about him, but he is still the same.”  In that montage sequence when he enters his apartment the music fades down, and you see,” Driver” just staring into his room, and in perfect sync with the music he turns around, and turns out the light, and it jumps back to him being in the car driving around. That small scene was mind-blowing, just how they were able to have the click of the light switch sync with the single beat that restarted the song.

  That scene made me realize something really important about the character. The most important relationship isn’t him with the family, or with his boss, the most important relationship is with him and driving in general. I went into the movie expecting over the top car chases, and etc. But you will see that the movie isn’t called,” Drive,” because it’s about car chasing and action. It is his life, and the only thing he can hold on to. He drives as a stuntman, he drives as a getaway driver, he drives to think about his problems, or to forget them, and he drives to just think in general, and lastly for happiness.

  The opening credits clearly show that he is driving around but never show you where he goes, they just show his face, and give you the impression that he is in deep thought. Later we see him a stunt man, but when he meets the family there is another amazing sequence, where he decides to drive them home because of their car problems. The reason why this scene is very important is because it shows him laughing, and smiling which is rare for his character. The song that plays as they drive to a river is “ A Real Hero,” by Electric Youth, College. In the song it is repeated, “A real hero, a real human being,” showing that this is what this character wants to be, this is what’s making him happy. He wants to be a hero and help this family, and he feels like a real person when he is around them.

Lastly on the topic of music there is another sequence that is really interesting. It occurs after,” Driver,” is informed about the husband, named,” Standard” is on his way back. Meaning that the main character could lose that one thing that makes him feels like a “real human being.” So there is a welcoming back party for him, and the song that is playing is,” Under Your Spell” by Desire. And as the song plays it shows the main character in the dark working on something, but he seems to be troubled, and can’t really focus. And as the song plays it cuts to the party and Irene looking at her husband, and then cuts back to Driver. And in this sequence the song repeats the lines, “I don’t eat, I don’t sleep, I do nothing but think of you.” This was another amazing scene because we know that Irene is starting to become torn between the two so when it jumps back at forth at both men, it shows what’s going on in her mind with anyone, or without her saying it. Also the same for Driver. We are used to seeing his character acting as if he doesn’t care about anything, but we see him now struggling to focus, so he leaves. When he does he sees Irene sitting in the hallway, and the music is muffled which is really cool. Because they were able to kill two birds with one stone using this song. They used it just as music for the scene, but then showed the viewer that the party is actually playing this song, and the characters themselves can hear, it and hear the words. After that there is a scene that occurs that I will go over later, but after it occurs, we see him in his car driving, without us knowing his destination. He is driving to because it helps him cope with his problems.

  I said it before, but the music in this film is perfect, and if not it is fairly close to being it. It does not jam popular world songs that people recognize down your throat, it gives you music that normally you wouldn’t listen to, but makes it fit. As far as dialogue all of the characters have really interesting lines, but there are high chances that the Driver’s dialogue is the most interesting. His character speaks very little, so it is a shock when he does explode in rage. To some this may seem awkward to some people, when he gives a short response to a long question. Also another thing that adds to his character is his pauses in conversation. This may turn you off depending on how you feel, but personally I enjoyed it. It was different, and really experienced his character.

One of my favorite scenes that had great dialogue that somewhat frightened me was when the husband, firsts meet driver.

[Standard comes out of the apartment with Benicio as Driver is talking to Irene]
Standard: How you doin'?
Driver: Hi.
Standard: This guy's been tellin' me a lot about you. Says you've been uh...comin' around, helpin' out a lot. Yeah, helpin' out? Is that right?
[Driver doesn't reply but smiles]
Standard: Is that right?
Driver: Mmhmm.
Standard: Oh, that's very nice. That's nice of you, thank you.
Driver: You're welcome.
Standard: You drive for the movies?
Driver: Yeah.
[referring to the garbage bag he's carrying]
Irene: I can take that.
Standard: No. No. I go it.
[to Benicio]
Standard: Let mommy talk to her friend.

This scene was very tense. The tone in Standard’s voice was scary, and violent and gave the viewer the feeling that a fight was going to break out. I enjoyed Driver’s character a lot during this scene because he didn’t seem scared; it was hard to read his emotions. It was clear to see that Irene was in fear that a fight would break out. Standard seemed to be bothered, and was probably expecting Driver to respond in away that a fight would start. But the way he responded didn’t give anything for Standard to take in. He could not read driver, so he didn’t know what kind of person he was.

  There are times where driver is quite, but he has his moments when his character is really troubled, his character is frightening to look at.

In one scene he is a café and man walks up to him talking about pulling a job with him. And instead of giving a short answer, like,”yes, maybe, sure” he took control of the conversation. In the previous example we see driver was not in control on the conversation with Standard he was playing defense. It occurs when he is serious, or angered when he quickly takes control of the conversation. So when the man asked him for another heist, driver responded,

 “How about this? Shut your mouth, or I'll kick your teeth down your throat and I'll shut it for you.”

  It is amazing how this character can catch you off guard. We do not know anything about him, we don’t know about the things he has done, or been exposed to. So when see a soft spoken, quite guy we expect him to hold that character, but when he erupts, its scary because when he said that line above to the man, he wasn’t screaming or yelling. He said it calm, but sharp voice that gave you the impression that he was going to do it, and also another great thing with that, when the man left, driver’s eyes stayed on him until he left. 

  But lastly as far dialogue, one of the best from driver is towards the end. It is when Shannon tells the thugs about Irene, and it is the first time we see and hear driver curse, and yell.

 [Driver meets Shannon after he's killed one of Nino's thugs in front of Irene]

Driver: They came to my apartment, Shannon. How did they know where I live?
Shannon: I told you, I was gonna call Bernie. I just wanted him to know that...that it wasn't about that you're not interested in the money. That you...you just did it for the girl.
[suddenly Driver grabs Shannon by the throat in anger]
Shannon: Calm down!
Driver: You told them about Irene?
Shannon: Calm down, kid! That's it! Just calm down!
Driver: You told them about Irene?
Shannon: I just...I just wanted him to know, that as soon as you return the money, that was the end of it. That's all! I didn't know! How was I supposed to know? How was I supposed to know that? Okay? Look, let me just...let me just talk to Bernie, okay?
Driver: Why you gotta fuck everything up, Shannon? Huh? Why do you fuck everything up? Get the fuck out of here, and never come back.

  This scene was very impactful because this is the first time we see driver falling apart, throughout the film he does kill, but he always seems to remain calm, but here, he yells,” YOU TOLD THEM ABOUT IRENE”. It was unexpected and I had to see if it was actually him speaking but I was expecting him to curse, and yell he way he did.

  Visually the movie is wonderful, from the amazing camera angles to, insane lighting effects, this movie has it all. A great component this movie does extremely well is getting really great angles. Since a lot of the time we are in the car, they make great use of the rear view mirror. So when we do not see driver’s face, we can see his eyes, and what they are doing. A really great shot as far as camera was when he decided to give the family a ride. When he asked if they wanted to see something cool. The camera was in a position so that driver was in the shot, and Irene was in the shot. But Benicio wasn’t, but because of the rear view mirror that was in the shot we could see his head. So instead of the camera changing to his face, when Irene asked if the wanted to see something cool, we could see his head nod yes in the mirror. It was an amazing shot.

  As far as lighting on of the best scenes in the film was the elevator. When he gets into a fight in front of Irene. When he senses danger he kisses her and as they kiss, the lighting starts to dim down, and the soft music starts to play that normally plays when he is with her, but the music starts to get violent and the light comes back on, and he quickly snaps and attacks. This scene was beautiful. The editing was very well done. What they decided to show, the different angles given. Mostly it shines in the car. They did a great job giving you the fell that you are in the car with driver.  

  The set up was great as well they took you to very distinct places, which was very interesting. Normally in driving movies you are distracted by random people walking by, or certain structures. In Drive, I found myself glued on the main characters, and the locations. From the elevator, to a pizzeria, even to the outback of California.

  None of the characters seem to have a good relationship with another. The two villains, or bad guys, aren’t always on the same page. One thinks he is bigger than he actually is, the other, is just trying to clean up a mess made by the other. Irene and her husband being in jail must have caused major problems. Driver and Shannon not being able to keep his mouth shut, and many more.

Lastly I would like to go over Drivers character, and one of the biggest props in the film, his scorpion jacket. Towards the end of the film when he is having a conversation with the final villain, the villain says, “Do you know the story of the scorpion and the frog?” and that’s it. He doesn’t go into detail with it. But if you know the story with it being about a scorpion that wants to cross the river on the back of the frog, and the frog says no because he doesn’t want to get stung, and finally the frog lets him ride. Then halfway through the frog gets stung, and he asks why now we both are going to die, and the scorpion replies it’s in my nature. This explains the main character perfectly. His jacket incorporates a lot of the different aspects of the film, music, camera angles, lighting, and special effects. The reason why is because Ryan Gosling’s character wants to help out, he wants to be a real hero, meaning he wants to be a real human being. But it is in his nature to mess everything up. So just like it is in the nature for the scorpion to sting, it is in his nature to ruin things. The jacket incorporates music because it was used in the opening credits to for shadow certain events. The camera only showed him walking but focused on the scorpion and focused on Irene walking by him. Showing that he was going to meet her soon and hurt her. Every time he does something bad, or misses up it shows his scorpion on his jacket. So the first time this occurs is in the opening scene to for shadow the up coming events. The second time is when pulls of the job with Standard and it goes wrong. And he calls Irene to tell her the news.  But when he does that the camera focuses on his back as he tries to call her. So he tries to help out with the heist, and it goes wrong resulting in the husband’s death, making things worse. So he wants to call Irene to help out more, but she doesn’t answer, then later he kills two people trying to kill him. And gets stained with their blood on his jacket. So he know he has the blood on his victims that he has stung on his jacket. Next he goes to find someone who was responsible and attacks him, but before he does the camera shows his scorpion and then shows him attacking the man. Next the elevator scene used amazing lighting for this scene. Once again driver wants to set things straight and help but as they get on the elevator with this mysterious man, driver knows that he can’t have what he wants, to he kisses Irene, and then stomps the man’s head in getting blood all over his jacket, and as the Irene steps out and watches drivers scorpion unleashed the camera shows his scorpion and shows his heavy breathing making the scorpion move. 

  So basically driver is a dangerous person, he wants to be with someone but he fears that he is too dangerous to be around others. And even though he wants to hide his stinger from Irene, and show that he can be a real human being, in the end it turns out that he is just an animal, a scorpion and leaves a trail of destruction in his path.

  In the end of the film, it is amazing without spoiling anything it is amazing how the elevator plays a big character. It is important at the beginning of driver and Irene’s relationship, and the end to it, and it is amazing to see how when the film ends it starts over from the beginning. I am not going to say anymore on that topic. But when you watch it you will understand the meaning behind it. Even thought this film has to set of storylines, one being focused on the threat, and driving, and the other being Irene. I think that both fall short without each other. None of them are that great to stand-alone. It is only together to see that it is amazing how this film can balance out two plots.

  I give Drive a 9.5 /10 this is a film that has been looked down, and underrated. Do not go into this film expecting the cliché of other driving movies, this movie, is more of an art. With a great cast, amazing music, lighting, special effects, it has everything. Although some seems may seem slow or odd to some, I loved the film. It shows you that a simple action such as driving can be a lot more to someone else. Many people do different things on their free time, whether it’s a movie, a bike ride, anything. This movie isn’t about his skills at driving, or about his fighting methods. It is about showing you that when he says he drives, that’s all he does. And that no matter what relationship he has that gets broken or taken away, in the end, the only relationship he will always be able to keep, is with his driving.

 “There is something inside you, it’s hard to explain, they’re talking about you boy, but you’re still the same.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The film Drive, the first 10 minutes of the scene starts it. It tells what favors the main character does. The audience didn't know if that was a job or anything else, but it told part of his personality and shows an activity that he does. Main character with no name, played by actor Ryan Gosling, doesn't speak much in this scene. In the film in general he doesn't speak so much. But in this specific scene, the silence of the characters helped tell what type of chase that was. The beat and radio also helped tell the story. There was a baseball game playing, but it also related to the chase.

In this film it show's two completely different stores that meets up with each other. There's a story where Gosling's character is a stunt driver, and he drives for reasons on the side which are the deals. Then there's a story where he mets a girl and her son, and has a connection with them. She's married to a latino male name Standard, which brought the gang storyline to the film. 

The lighting in the film really helped in the story because especially with Gosling's character doesn't speak much so most of the movie the lighting was his dialogue. The music and sounds in the film went with everything. Especially with the radio in the first 10 minutes. The camera angles were as detailed on the characters as possible. No matter what type of camera angle it was. The one I enjoyed most was when Gosling's character drowned Nino in the ocean and it was a very wide shot of the city. But you could still see Gosling's character as small as he was because his jacket stood out.

I also remember talking with a classmate who talked about the symbol of his jacket. That classmate was Anwar. He states how he has a scorpion on the back of his jacket. It represent how a scorpion acts in it's smart and sneaky ways. He had the jacket on during most of the film. The jacket was also a motif because it's the main symbol that represents his character.

A few scenes I enjoyed was the elevator scene because the lighting told Gosling's feelings towards Irene while they were kissing and the music was building up when he did the thing with his jaw, letting Irene know he's about to show his true colors and kill the man in the elevator in order to save her. Another is when he meets Bernie. The angle I liked didn't show his face, but showed his shoulders down as he reached his hand to shake Gosling character's had. His line was "my hands are dirty" I believe. It seemed powerful in my opinion. The first 10 mins of the movie was one of my favorites because there were no camera shots from outside of the car during the chase. Another is when he went into the dressing room. It was when the guy was on the floor and Gosling's character was standing over him conversing with Nino. He had the weapon in his hand gripping it tight. That type of angle looking up at Gosling showed that he had authority at that moment. The very last was after Irene and Gosling's character was hanging out for the day. They were talking while they were near the window. The way they were looking and smiling at each other was amazing. There wasn't much dialogue but their face told it all. 

The only thing I didn't like in the movie was around the end when Bernie and Gosling's character was talking. They were talking about the movie and it had clips of what happens while they were discussing it. I wanted to predict what was going to happen while they were talking. I didn't want it to show me while they were talking. Other than that, the movie was great, detailed, and I loved how the different storylines depended on each other.

The first I heard of 'Drive' was on Conan O'Brian, where the only real thing they talked about was Ryan Gosling's jacket in the movie, and I wasn't exactly interested in it. When I heard all the buzz about it, I asked my sister, who had seen it in theaters, and she said, "I don't see why it wasn't nominated for anything." Now, I've seen the movie, and I can't help but agree, why the hell wasn't this movie nominated for best movie? Or best score? Or best male lead? Or best adapted screenplay? And why didn't it win sound editing? Needless to say, I think was the best movie I've seen all year.

First, let me talk about the music, as a musician myself, I take notice if a movie's score is especially good, and while some of the tracks were recycled from the Social Network, several themes and the main theme were completely original, and done by, oddly enough, by Cliff Martinez, the former drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The music throughout the movie uses the device of themes, which is extremely powerful, as opposed to modern scoring which is done to simply accompany the images perfectly, theme scoring creates recurring patterns indicating certain emotions and specific characters, and can be layered and edited to mean different things even as they repeat. Two things about the score's importance, in the all-important stomp scene, you hear two themes, which is Irene's, then a theme of violence, marking a powerful transition and sharp division between both, the track is called, "Skull Crushing". Another scene with powerful music is the scene early in the film, where The Driver is with Irene and Benicio, spending the day with them, as we first hear the track, "A Real Hero", which returns at the end of the movie.

While I'm on scenes, let me talk more about some other ones, the stomp scene speaks for itself, it shows the division of the character and his love, and his demonstration of a kind of truth, but enough about that. I also mentioned the scene where The Drive spends the day with Irene and her child, while nothing is said, the scene shows this instant kind of connection between them and him, and it starts the real relationship between them. While I'm on it, I should briefly mention dialogue, there's not much of it. Not at all. I love that. The movie didn't need it, and everything was perfectly silent, dialogue was usually thin and short, they let the scene tell you what was going on, and didn't make it obvious, which is something you don't see too often in film. Another important scene is when Bryan Cranston (who is always amazing) is telling Irene about The Driver and himself, in some of the only real monologuing in the movie, he explains much about The Driver's characters and goals. Another is where The Driver kills Nino by crashing into him, the silence of the scene is perfect, and the passing light make it unforgettable, not to mention good camera work, which applies to all these scenes of course, the movie's camera is always good, shots positioned perfectly make the movie's intentions covering for the lack of dialogue. The last important scene, is of course, the ending, where The Driver sits perfectly still, a kind of fake out to the audience, the scene is perfect, it makes us think he's done, then he blinks, and the music starts, the ending begins, this kind of, breaking out of death is explored, and the movie ends soon after, with a less than satisfying, though still powerful ending.

Now, the story, is a split one, we have the storyline of revenge for The Driver, his heist gone wrong, and the repercussions, the other is a love story with Irene. I think the love story is the better half of the movie, the love is pure and when Irene's husband returns from prison, he doesn't try to interfere, but makes himself available, and even as he is caught up with his other storyline, the heist and its repercussions, he still manages to act properly to her, and to tell her the truth even if it means losing her, right before he has to show her that he's deeply involved, in the all-important stomp scene. The story lines are interwoven so well, one might just say that it was one story, but the fact that they are so well put together, yet are still distinguishable is a definite bonus to the movie, you see two sides of The Driver, while you still explore this one cohesive idea.

Finally, let me talk about acting. Like I said, the dialogue in this movie is nearly nonexistent, even in the stomp scene, where an action line begs to come into play, the movie remains silent and lets actions speak louder than words. Which is my point, actions speaking louder than words, the lines are delivered perfectly, but the actors exist in this silence so very perfectly that it is incredible, Ryan Gosling's acting is through the roof, as the character who speaks the least, he had the most to say with his acting, and he spoke volumes. Then there's him and Irene, played by Carey Mulligan (whose accent does not bleed through at all and I'm totally jealous), the relationship half of the movie is focused on. Like I said, it's pure, they only kiss once, in the all-important stomp scene, and other than that, the most they do is hold hands. They barely speak, so like I said, action, the way they look at each other, the emotional in the barebones lines in their dialogue is so powerful we can tell absolutely that Irene is the most important thing to The Driver. Their music too, helps establish this relationship, and their closeness even without touching, they stand so close to each other, which is perfect to show more than what dialogue could tell us.

Overall, l think the movie is great, and you should see it and complain loudly to your friends about how it didn't get any academy awards.

Sound A+: Music, car noises, stomping, perfect.

Visuals A+: Shot so very well I go crazy, every scene is picture perfect.

Acting A+: Not one person is lacking, even the child actor, who are sometimes just awful.

Story B+: The only thing I don't think is perfect is the story, The Driver as a character is weakly covered by the story, and the pacing of it is sometimes just strange. It's still super good though.

Overall A: Super good, super super good, but not completely perfect, not many movies are though. (needs more dream sequences.)

Drive is not the simple movie it's title makes it out to be. In fact, it is so much more than just a drive, but then again, it depends on how you interpret the title. Drive is a story focused on the character known only as "the driver," who drives in heists as a well trusted and highly skill professional driver. In the opening sequence, the driver takes us on a wild ride in attempt to outrun and escape the L.A. police. As evident throughout the entire film, camera angles are phenomenal and seem as though they couldn't have been in better places in conjunction with the color filtering and lighting scheme of the entire film. When the opening chase comes to a conclusion, we are instantly left to question his role in the film as a protagonist or antagonist or neither. The clever camera work, lighting, character traits that drag us into curiosity about the characters and the events unfolding, and the complete story that the opening sequence provides the audience with, is enough to walk away with happy to have seen the film. 

Driver (Ryan Gosling) is the man behind the wheel that the story focuses on throughout the majority of the film. His character is calm, quiet, stoic, and serious, drawing out our curiosity of what kind of person he is, what his background is, why he drives, etc. While we are left to question what his "drive" and goals are in the beginning, his character quickly evolves and his goals and character become much more evident when he falls in love with his neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan). This is where the story takes off and leads into something entirely new and different for the driver. Though Driver takes the role similar to that of the "other" in the film, this is not your typical "other" film. 

Back on the film's camerawork, Drive incorporates very unique shots of the driving scenes in this film, unlike most driving scenes and films. Most of the shots are taken from inside to the car, providing us with a unique view from inside the car instead of focus on the things that happen on the outside of the car (they are practically irrelevant). The entire opening sequence is primarily shot from inside the car with the driver, throwing us right into the intensity of the chases and the overall ride from the passenger seat. Throughout the film, there are a lot of well placed and well timed shots in which characters move into environments where surroundings and foreground make for interesting still shots. In the scene where the driver kills the first two people in the film, he stands in the doorway of the bathroom with blood on his face. The shot is so well position in conjunction with the lighting, that when he slowly moves back into the bathroom, his face goes from being in the sunlight to covered in a shadow. Many of the shots like these are somewhat symbolic of the characters in the film. 

Another prime example of a very well placed shot is when the driver walks into his dark apartment and the shadow of his head is cast perfectly in the square of a window pane on the wall. Though it may or may not be symbolic, the shot is very well coordinated and artistic. Another clever shot is when the driver puts the groceries down in Irene's kitchen and is talking to her when he notices himself in the square, thin mirror on the wall. In both of these shots and in shots alike, music (if any), lighting, and camera angle/position clearly coincide with each other to deliver a full impact of the film's creativity and storytelling. Music plays a major role in the film as a tone setter and storyteller in itself. The most popular and most cited scene is the elevator scene of Drive, which amazingly combines lighting and music to tell the emotions, thoughts, and feelings of the characters, therefore telling us an aspect of the story that dialogue could not replace. The music in the film is largely connected. For example, in the elevator scene and in a the previous scene where the driver kills the first two people in the film, we hear the same scary building tone in the elevator right before he kills the man, just like the tone after he kills the first two men. 

When it comes to artistic and engaging films, Drive does not fail to please the viewer with the combined theatrical elements that are incorporated into the film. The acting is without question very effective in the portrayal of the characters of the film. Many of the moments of the film where dialogue can be placed are filled with effective facial expressions and actions conducted by the characters, whom seem to build off of each other quite effectively in order to make the scene seem a realistic as possible. After watching the film and reviewing it, I notice the clever storytelling used by the characters along with the theatrical aspects (lighting, music, and camera position) that bring out the stories, traits, and parts of the characters not thought about through dialogue. When I first heard about the film, I thought that it would be disappointing and dry because of what others were saying about the film and how it's only about a man that drives, when it is in fact layered in storyline. The depth of this film is almost indescribable. 

Since the story is so layered and there is so much to think about in the film, I feel as though the story and film is very effective. The full stories of all the charters are not given away, which leave me and the audience to wonder about each of them, and most of all, the ending is very "open ended," which leaves us with the rest of the story left to our imagination. Of the layers of the film, I find the story of the driver wanting to become "normal"/the love story the most interesting. We never see the driver smile, show happiness, or  act as a open person until he is with Irene, driving through the L.A. gutters. Through the beginning of the film, the driver is depicted as this mysterious, quiet, and emotionless person until being with Irene changes his character completely when he is around her. Reflecting upon the driver himself, one must wonder, "What does it take and mean to actually be 'normal?'" I believe that the answer is not evident, but rather hidden in the film and only answerable though personal interpretation. 

With the love story, the most important relationship that is developed in the story is the relationship of the driver and Irene. The relationship between the driver and Irene is developed in multiple ways. To initiate the relationship, the driver mets Irene on the elevator and we can see he is obviously interested in her as the camera focuses on his face and on Irene. Later in the supermarket, the driver sees Irene down the aisle and then backs up and avoids her probably because he can see that she has a kid and is "taken." Film makers typically use the story, boy meeter girl, boy falls in love with girl, and the third part is open ended. It's the same in this film, but the film is set up in a way that the driver meets Irene, finds her interesting, avoids her, helps her, takes her on a nice ride, falls in love as Irene falls in love with him as well, there is conflict in the way of their love relationship (the return of Irene's husband), and then at the height of the romance the driver has to end their relationship to protect Irene. 

With the multiple story lines, Drive allows us to have more "room space" to explore the various elements and concepts of the story that the film tries to get across. Most movies contain that simple sort of straight line story plot, whereas Drive provides multiple aspects to one story that weave together to provoke thought. The love story, as they typically end happy, does not exactly end the same way in this film. Driver turns out to have the experience of the "other" where he is loved by someone as he loves them in return, but cannot be with them due to the circumstances.  

5 Significant Scenes (Some mentioned earlier): 

- The scene where two men shoot into the hotel and kill the lady in the bathroom and nearly kill the Driver. When the Driver moves to the wall and manages to kill the man in the bathroom and then shoots the other guy breaking through the door, there is a strong musical score that highlights the emotions and intensity of the events that just occurred. As the music intensifies steadily, the driver, with a shocked look on his face, moves into the shadow of the bathroom while standing at the threshold of the bathroom. I think this marks a very significant moment in the movies where the driver's dark side is highlighted. This is the first time in the movie where he kills anyone and it plays a significant role in the change of his character and emotions. This scene is very connected to the elevator scene as far as character development of the driver and musical score. 

- One part in the movie where the driver is driving through the L.A. gutters with Irene and her son in the car. This is the first scene that is really bright and has a cheery tone. Here the driver, who seems to be this all quiet, serious, and difficult to understand character is actually smiling. This scene plays a major role in setting up the goal of the driver, which can be interpreted in many ways. What this scene highlights for me is that the driver wants to become "normal" and settle down without having to resort to crime in his life. I believe this scene in particular is extremely significant because the driver finally gets to experience something that makes him happy, which takes him from his sort of dark and mysterious character. This moment in the movie is also a highlight of the development of the love story layered within the film. Music is very joys and free in this scene, which makes the audience feel "alive."

- Elevator scene (second one) is significant for a number of reason. It is where the driver initially meets Irene and where he leaves her last in the movie. The elevator scene before the characters part is a monumental component of the film. It is a sort of climax (especially for the love story of the film) that represents the parting of the driver from the only thing that seemed to lift up his spirits, Irene. Here there is a romantic kiss moment, which can be interpreted at first as a way to look non suspicious to the guy with the gun who is supposed to kill the driver in the elevator, but this can also be interpreted as a farewell kiss. Another major aspect of this scene is that it is the first and last time the driver and Irene actually share romance. Lighting in this scene is very significant along with the musical score that sets the emotions and tone of the scene. The music and lighting shift to fit the things that go on in this scene, such as the loud sort of mystical music that shifts into the terrifying tone of something serious about to happen (the same tone as the one after the driver killed the first two people in the movie. When the driver looks back at Irene after he has killed the man in the elevator, we can see how terrified he is to have caused Irene to be scared of him. Driver reveals the dark and obviously not so gentle, kind, helpful, and caring side that Irene knew him for. 

- The scene where Irene's husband is home and there is a party going on and we can see Irene in the back looking very gloomy. Here we can see that through her emotions, she has strong feelings for the driver and doesn't know how to react to her husband's homecoming. Here is another pivotal moment in the love story of the film in which we conflict is introduced to the love story. The music in this scene is a song that has the lyrics, "I don't eat. I don't sleep." I find the music is this scene very descriptive of what is going on in the film and how the characters are feeling. Interestingly enough, like the game that is on the radio in the first chase scene, there are a lot of musical selections that portray the story that the film itself is bringing to light. 

- The ending scenes, where Irene and the driver have their last conversation. Here we can see that Irene, even after the sequence of events with the driver telling her about her husband and the elevator scene, is willing to be with the driver again. However, we know that the two characters will not be together again because the driver will always have to, "look over his shoulder." Therefore if the driver were to go and be with Irene again, he would be risking her life. This scene plays a major part in the resolution and of the overall story. For the love story, this is the conclusion that the driver cannot be with Irene and this is also the conclusion for the crime layer of the film because the driver has killed the man he needed to and can now drive far away. The music that picks up at this point in the film is very "free" like and makes us feel sorry for the driver, but relieved at the same time. 

AUDITORY ELEMENTS
There wasn’t a consistent track that played in the movie but there were sounds of the street (ambient sounds) that helped make up for that. Also, there was rap music to go with the urban scenes. There wasn’t much narration in the film but the dialogue was great. There was much expression and sternness in the way Denzel Washington spoke and helped me understand how much of a low down person he was. Ethan Hawke’s dialogue let me know he was unsure of what to do at first but was a smart man. Their dialogue really got me to believe that they both became their characters.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

The acting was amazing. Starting off with the minor characters, Snoop Doog and Dr. Dre really amazed me being as though they are musical artists and their acting skills were so good. Most singers/rappers who try to go into film that I’ve seen rarely succeeds and this was one of those rare cases. Macy Gray always plays the roles of drug addicts so seeing her in this role was the perfect fit.  Denzel Washington from what I know about him as an actor, he usually plays the “good guy” roles. After seeing Training Day, I began to believe that the “bad guy” thing was for him because he did an exceptional job. Ethan Hawke is an actor who I am really unfamiliar with but as far as his role, he did a good job as playing an officer who would just take orders at first but as the day went on, he grew to not just take orders.

For me, there weren’t really any new camera angles that really “wowed” me. Not that any of the angles were really bad, they just didn’t excite me too much. The lighting worked for me. There were parts where there was a little more exposure than it should have been but besides that, the lighting really worked for me.

 

(INSIDE THE BODY OF REVIEW: Discuss overall structure of the film)

Act I- Set Up

When Ethan Hawke had the phone conversation with Denzel Washington, we got an idea of what kind of person Denzel was.

When Ethan met him at the coffee shop, it was more clear of who Denzel would be as a character. The conversations between Ethan and Denzel in the car let us know how Denzel felt as about his job which was he felt like he was above the law because he was a top cop.

 

Act II- Confrontation

 

This wasn’t shown in the movie, but Denzel got into a confrontation with the wrong Russians apparently which led to him owing one million dollars to them by midnight the following day or he would be dead. Throughout the whole day, he ran a series of schemes in order to get the money he needed which got him caught up in the end.

 

 

Act III- Resolution

 

At the end, Denzel set Ethan Hawke up and left him in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Hawke came and found him and put a good fight with Denzel. Ethan ending up beating him up & shooting him but not killing him, that job was left to the Russians.

 

I thought this would be one of those movies where the bad guys get away with what they’ve done at the end of it.

The Island, written by Caspain Tredwell-Owen, directed by Michael Bay, and released in 2005, is a sci - fi thriller about two people who find out that they are clones,created only to be harvested for for their organs. In the beginning after the first initial scene of the main character having a vivd nightmare of drowning the movie proceeds to show the Mis- en- Scene. A modern futuristic environment with people whose daily lives are regulated according to the standards of others. Most of the shots beginning of the film are medium shots with lighting that dramatizes the shot. To me it seems like the lights are always positioned so that shines from directly under or above a characters faces.This gives their faces a sort of shadow about them. The shots in this film don't differentiate until the middle of the film when most of the thrill and action takes place.

The Dialogue in the film gives just enough information so that the viewer's curiosity is only furthered. Most of the dialogue in the film is not accompanied by music or the music is very very low. The music , just like the camera shots, doesn't start to become more prominent until the action and thrill starts. In some scenes it takes the place of dialogue. For instance, when the main characters leave the environment the movie opens in , the music is loud and gives off the character emotions. The characters themselves were well casted wonderfully, I felt each person was really into their role. They made it seem believable, well as believable as this story could be.

The editing of this film was particularly good during the most action packed part of the film when a lot of car crashes and building breaking was taking place. The point of view of the camera changed from close up to  to wide or panning.The actors the coloring and everything else, to me blended beautifully. I quite enjoyed this film. I cannot say that I was blown away by it buy did enjoy it. i could see myself watching this film again or suggestion it to someone I know. Over all i give this film a 7.5 out of 10.

Emma Hersh

Though the title might suggest some movement of characters throughout the film that makes them stronger, there isn't much of that in Closer. The lighting is generally dark or gloomy, there is never much light let in even in a well lit room. Each character is so set in his or her way that there is not much room for movement, room for love but not movement. The film begins with two main characters Dan (played by Jude Law) who is very ordinary looking and Alice (played by Natalie Portman) who has bright red hair, walking down a street in slow motion looking only at each other with a song playing saying basically over and over "I can't take my eyes off of you" (which is also the only piece of the score in the whole film with words). From the beginning there was no question that these two would be attracted to each other. 

Shot through a steady camera and a series of slow pans, medium, close, and over-the-shoulder shots this film is very slow moving and has no solid character trajectory. With that said, each character is very moved by every other in the film, particularly when they aren't yet acquainted and are merely strangers to each other. Very early on in the film we find that Dan is not only in love with Alice, but also with Anna (played by Julia Roberts) who is an emotionless photographer who hides behind her work to get closer to other people, but will never open up because she is too nervous about actually getting something (or someone) that she wants. Then she meets Larry (played by Clive Owen) who she supposedly loves but there is never evidence of their love except for them saying to each other "I love you." This makes for an interesting dynamic between characters who were supposedly moving closer towards each other. Instead it appears that each of them are moving closer to who they truly are. 

When asked the question "What do you do," Alice answers "I'm a stripper" and while the audience makes assumptions about her character to be sleazy or a failure, it turns out that when she is hiding underneath almost no clothes and a wig she is the most honest. Alice's natural hair is only seen when she already knows someone, something or some place, if she is somewhere familiar. When she sees Dan for the first time and when she is stripping she has altered the appearance of her hair in some way and she finds that confronting because she is already hiding, this is when she is most honest and vulnerable. She speaks very blatantly throughout the film because she wants to be more honest and open with people, but she is so tied to herself that there isn't much room for growth. 

Then there is Larry who is obviously horny most of the time because that influences where he goes and who he meets. He is the only character who is always himself and never lies. He is a dermatologist with an attitude and many opinions who seems so kind at first, but as the film progresses it becomes clear that he has a relatively short fuse. He is violent, aggressive, and crude in the way he talks to Dan, Alice and Anna, yet he is very sterile. In one of the last scenes he is descriptively telling Dan that he slept with Alice, much like Anna told him she was sleeping with Dan, and while there was a sense of his burning on the inside of his body, the room they were in was completely white and very sterile. Throughout the film, most colors followed a very basic color scheme, they were mostly whites and blues, only Alice was ever in more colors. Anna took photos through a black and white film camera which represented the way she viewed her life and the world, in a neutral and gray way. Throughout the whole film she was unhappy with her life and her relationships. 

The idea of who is a stranger plays out in many ways in this film because none of the relationships were established beforehand. The viewer makes discoveries along with each character about the others in the film. As each person begins as a stranger, they also end as a stranger. The film is almost entirely confrontation as each person cheats on their partner with another main character. They all want to be honest and good people so they tell their partners about it at some point and each character turns out to be basically images of the same person. In the end no one is completely happy because they all feel cheated and it is clear as a viewer that none of them will go back to normal. There was never a sense of normal in this film, though, because each relationship twists, turns, backtracks and mirrors the other relationships. One of the ending scenes is Dan and Alice fighting, she makes him so mad that he threatens to hit her, so she challenges that and he hits her. A slap across the face in slow motion with the song from the beginning playing. As they met in slow motion they also separated in slow motion.