Nicolas Winding Refn has obviously been influenced a lot by Tarantino. I think this not just because of the intermittent scenes of graphic violence, but because of the use of a widescreen aspect ratio, the long shots, a mostly still frame and slow cutting. This visual stillness and the introverted calm of Ryan Gosling’s character provide a disquieting sobriety which balances out the occasional bit of mutilation. Drive handles some of the most disturbing portrayals of cold-blooded murder in cinematic history with undeniably cool style. I was immediately reminded of Pulp Fiction and Resevoir Dogs mostly; but the film could be paying tribute to any one of Tarantino’s twisted takes on gangster drama.
An 80s-esque electro soundtrack mixed with the neon-pink titles and cityscapes make this film cry out to be sat next to Tarantino’s filmography as well as classic gangster dramas like Scarface. Like Tony Montana, Gosling’s driver starts the film as a nobody. Unlike Pacino’s egomaniacal anti-hero, however, Drive’s protagonist remains a nobody. The main song in the soundtrack, A Real Hero by College, sums up the driver’s story as it plays over an unsurprisingly down ending with the lyrics “you’ve proved to be a real human being and a real hero” repeating over and over.
Gosling, along with Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman provide captivating characters to drive along a fairly minimal plot. As much happens off-screen as it does on-screen in this film and that really allows the audience to invest their own imagination into the film to fill in the gaps; making for a more rewarding viewing experience, in my opinion. A very solid effort by director Winding Refn, Drive is an intriguing, minimalist crime drama that is satisfyingly sure of its genre and cinematic influences.
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