“Drive”

15 Dec 2011 3 Comments

by Jonathan Thompson in Movies Tags: Albert Brooks, Carey Mulligan, Christina Hendricks, Drive, Kaden Leos, Oscar Isaac, Ryan Gosling

Gah, I can’t believe it’s been so long since I’ve posted anything. I can’t let that happen again.

A went to see this movie with a friend who had already seen it, and all he really told me about the film was that it was very good yet very violent. I’m glad I had that little warning going into the movie.

“Drive” is a beautifully shot movie. Various shots throughout the film make sure to capture a mirror — whether it’s a side-view mirror on a car or a mirror in the home — in the frame to exploit the power of its reflection. I felt that in many ways, the person you see in the reflection is a more pure and more real version than their actual selves. There are various shots where The Driver (Ryan Gosling) is in his car and the mirror will catch his eyes, and his eyes show an intensity and an intent that defines his character. His is a character that is more internal than external, and it’s glimpses into his eyes that show you a hint of the man inside.

The movie uses shadows in a very particular way, especially towards The Driver. Light and dark, with their usual good and bad connotations, respectively, are reversed in this film. Throughout the movie, The Driver will be traveling in his car or interacting with another person, and he will be shrouded in darkness. At first it seems like he might be an inherently dark character because of this, but he’s actually covered in shadow in his good times. There are scenes where he’s interacting with Irene (Carey Mulligan) or her son, Benicio (Kaden Leos) and his face is hidden in darkness — but he’s smiling or expressing a, seemingly, rare happy emotion. Alternatively, in a jarring scene that changes the tone of the entire film, his face will be bathed in light but the mood is entirely tense. This scene takes place in a diner and some previous client recognizes The Driver and starts speaking with him. The Driver interrupts him and, in a surprisingly vicious tone, threatens the man. Darkness is a good place for the Driver, perhaps a place of comfort.

On a related note, most of the movie places The Driver in either darkness or light, but after a critical moment in the film, a third element is introduced. After the robbery with Standard (Oscar Isaac) and Blanche (Christina Hendricks) goes south, The Driver saves himself from the hit men that came for him and Blanche by killing them. He’s drenched in blood, as the camera focuses on his still face for several moments. It’s after this moment, the moment he’s killed another man, where he’s forever tainted by that action. Every shot of The Driver after that moment shows the mark of murder, either by the blood on the jacket he always wears or by the red of a stoplight shining on his face. Even though he’s not inherently a killer, that blemish of the kill is and forever will be there — and the film subtly conveys it through the wardrobe and cinematography.

I had a favorite scene in the movie, which might have been the most sensual and most violent part of the film. Irene and The Driver get on an elevator after he tries to tell her about what had really happened with Standard. They share the elevator with an unknown and shady man. The Driver notices the gun in the man’s coat jacket. In a quick gesture, The Driver shields Irene behind him and shares an beautiful and passionate kiss with her. The elevator car even seems to lengthen, giving them their own private space to share this intimate moment. The music in this particular scene is exciting yet mellow in nature, providing the exact ambience for change and revelation. The Driver, a generally introverted man, finally explicitly expresses his feelings for Irene in a beautiful moment. Then, suddenly, the music fades and the elevator car shrinks back to normal perspective and the two men fight, ending with a gruesome kill by The Driver. He quickly changed from one passionate expression to another — from kissing Irene so desperately to killing so mercilessly, leaving Irene to back out and stare in horror, confusion, and love.

This scene also contains another interesting shot found throughout the film — the long stationary shot of a character’s face. Irene backs out of the elevator and just stares at The Driver. She must be thinking so many thoughts at that moment, and the camera fixates on her face for a pretty long time. As a viewer, my eyes were fixed on her, wondering what she would do, studying her face for any sign of what she’s thinking, and curious to see if she would say anything — but before anything happens, the elevator door closes. These long stationary shots it on a person’s face for just enough time to create the suspense of what will happen next and hardly resolving any tension created from the shot. Another example comes towards the end of the movie. The Driver and Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks) have attacked each other in the parking lot, and we see The Driver sitting in his car. His eyes are open and the camera is fixed on his face for several moments, creating the suspense that he might fall over dead, that he might drive away in a rage, or that he might send a message through body language. He blinks, which I initially thought was him suddenly closing his eyes in death, but then calmly drives away. These long stationary shots are simple yet very affective. They create inward suspense and confusion through prolonged inactivity.

This film is incredible. It’s a very moving film with such a fantastic performance by Ryan Gosling. He evokes very subtle changes in expression in an overly stoic character, making his extroverted outbursts the more profound.

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