Another interview with Refn – http://www.buzzsugar.com/Nicolas-Winding-Refn-Interview-About-Drive-Soundtrack-Ryan-Gosling-20376775
He claims definitively that Gosling’s character doesn’t die at the end and that he is indeed a hero, among other things.
This might be the best thing ever:
I really enjoyed Drive- a dark, modern, seductive noir thriller and I didn’t see anything wrong with it. The violence, while not my cup of tea generally, was really only in two parts and I found the scenes relatively easy to swallow when I could think of them as temporary portals into the hidden aspects of the Driver’s otherwise boyishly charming psyche.
Glad someone started a thread about this.
Interview with Albert Brooks – http://ca.askmen.com/celebs/interview_600/653_albert-brooks-interview.html
Talks a bit about masculinity.
I’ve just seen the film – I had great expectations, maybe due to them, I was a bit disappointed. Well crafted indeed, some fine detail (like the moment she is telling him that her husband will be out from jail in a week – the car stops for a while, then goes on or Nino’s killing by the sea), very solid performances (I especially liked Bryan Cranston as Shannon) and yet – most of the supporting actors just don’t stay enough on screen! Ryan is staying enough, but this type of sustained character, reminiscent of Clint Eastwood in the Sergio Leone “Dollar” trilogy cannot by itself fill the picture. Various themes promising development are left loose, even we don’t see the main character actually dying at the end – maybe this is all about? The state of being unfinished? In the second half of the film we are put straight into the gangster canon, nothing new and there is not enough psychology to keep me quite interested. Another interpretation? Maybe comic references? Could be, again too realistic to be plausible… By giving a second thought to the title – along the film it seems the line is clear – from being the best of drivers, i.e. controlling the car, Ryan’s character seems to submit to the course of events with full consciousness, it’s the car, that carries him at the end, as if he is driving his own coffin.
It’s still a good movie, but far from greatness, as I expected. And yes – the music was great!
I hated it pretty thoroughly. After seeing Bronson, which is possibly close to being a masterpiece, this movie just felt like Refn was resting on his laurels. He could do so much better. I blame the script/acting.
Also, the violence didn’t disturb me once mainly because there were too many slow motion sequences and the characters were poorly developed. Why do I care about so-and-so getting killed when he was basically a shallow, one dimensional archetype? Also, there was little to no tension in the editing.
If the violence disturbed you, you’re a pansy. Seriously. The violence in Hanna is more disturbing because it’s a hell of a lot more brutal for starters and the characters are stronger and better performed.
2/5
I took off one star for every time a song on the soundtrack came on telling me exactly what the emotions of everyone in the scene were. Else it might have been an okay B-movie. How it can be taken seriously with that soundtrack is beyond me—stupid, stupid, stupid.
You are nuts, House. The soundtrack for Drive is fantastic.
I’ve noticed that the music is very polarizing – either people love it or they hate it. It’s interesting because most of the people I’ve talked to that like the music are die hard movie people and generally speaking, the people who found the music annoying are passable film viewers.
The interesting thing is, FilmDistrict was clearly concerned about the music. The test screening I went to last May, most of the questions on the survey were directed towards the music. And this was even after the film had won at Cannes!
Despite the polarization, I’m glad they kept the music in. I thought it really added something to the film.
The music is unbearable. Otherwise, it’s a decent film, a solid effort at co-opting some of the elements of current art cinema, but ultimately pretty soulless as it’s imitative in nature.
“Despite the polarization, I’m glad they kept the music in. I thought it really added something to the film.”
Yeah, I think the 80s electropop soundtrack is the perfect accompaniment to the film, but, than again, I wouldn’t trust House on music. As I recall, he’s a big Peal Jam fan (yuck).
^ ha ha ha
Pearl Jam. My nickname for them is Toe Jam.
Ok, I’ll get off now as I haven’t seen this movie but a fan of Pearl Jam, I am not.
“I wouldn’t trust House on music. As I recall, he’s a big Peal Jam fan (yuck).”
lol.
I also thought the ’80s synth Refn used in Bronson was one of the best parts of that otherwise flawed film.
Yeah, Bronson is the Refn film I really don’t like at all although it has its fair share of defenders. He uses music quite well (and, more importantly, knows when not to use it).
Pearl Jam sucks ass, but that “human race” song is shittier than the worst Pearl Jam songs.
^ I believe you’re referring to my favorite gym song of 2011.
“Pearl Jam sucks ass…”
Now, Blue is jus’ lookin’ to cause a fight with his hurtful words
I agree Ari, I really wanted to like Bronson more than I did. I appreciated the style, the look, the feel, the vibe. But there wasn’t much to the film – it’s essentially Tom Hardy beating the shit out of people for two hours (kinda like Warrior, haha!). So I was super satisfied with Drive because it was everything I wanted Bronson to be.
Blue is ALWAYS looking to fight with his hurtful words, Uli.
He should’ve in Drive stomping people’s brains out for liking films he deems crap. ;)
I know, I’m such a horrible bully expressing my honest opinions about films.
Ha ha ha — gotchya to respond, Blue! winky winky!
You’re easy to bait. :D
(as I can be if you know where my buttons are and I’m not aware that you do)
I don’t wanna know nuttin’ about buttons.
Pearl Jam sucks…but cmon the Drive soundtrack is pretty awesome. Blue referring to one of the songs as the “human race song” made me laugh, though.
Esp. Benjamin’s Buttons… :D
Oh, and regarding the music, I read somewhere that Refn had to fight to get the music cues he wanted, originally if the studio got their way it would have been mainstream hip-hop stuff. As it is, I much prefer what we have now, but I suppose I have a bias towards this kind of borderline cheesy electronic/dance music.
@Santino its the opposite from my experiences, alot of music lovers I know got into the film because of the soundtrack. Kavinsky, Lovefoxx, College, Brian fucking Eno, some decent stuff no doubt.
Don’t knock Pearl Jam. It is not for you.
I may have to return to Drive one day and consider the film as a bit of an intentional joke, with the musical queues being the punch lines.
Seen Said
He doesn’t have to, my point was simply that his directorial choices and style pale in comparison. I liked the film, but I don’t think Refn added anything distinct to the long list of filmmakers/films influenced my Melville.