Drive 25/09/11

Ryan Gosling is 'The Driver' (he is given no other name throughout), a Hollywood stunt driver moonlighting as a getaway driver for criminals. The driver lives and works in Los Angeles. Gosling's performance is incredibly controlled and captivating as the quietly charming Driver. The beauty of this performance lies with the minimal dialogue we experience from him; he reveals all we need to know with body language, facial expression and his eyes.

The control of the driver is greatly contrasted in later, more action packed, violent scenes. We follow this character closely throughout and soon come to acknowledge that he is a 'loner', with his only apparent companion being his boss at the garage, Shannon (Bryan Cranston). When he meets young mother Irene (Carey Mulligan), we see a love blossom between them ever so subtly.

Other greatly notable performances include Albert Brooks as Bernie. He is fantastic and utterly believable as the weathered mobster tired of the lifestyle and wanting a ticket out. Carey Mulligan is also worth a nod as she convincingly portrays Irene in a tender way; she is gentle and understated which is exactly what the role calls for. This film is so deliberate that none of the performances are out of place.

What grabs and pulls you in with Drive is its apparent 80s theme. This whole movie is fantastically retro; it exudes cool and is one of the slickest Crime Drama's in years. It is artfully stylish, intensely paced and shockingly violent; all of this keeps you gripped for a relentless 100 minute ride. The tension created by this pacing really produces something special; these controlled moments set up the sudden bursts of violence and action to perfection.

You get the thin plot, shallow story feeling but all is forgiven with the gorgeously shiny finish of this skillfully put together movie.

Hands down the coolest film of the year so far.