Drive: The Ride of a Lifetime

In honour of this blog reaching the 1 year milestone, I thought I would address the film that I have almost certainly watched the most in this time period. If you are close to me, I have definitely told you to watch this film, or if you are truly unlucky, sat and watched it with you, constantly telling you everything I know abut this masterpiece. This is such a uniquely fascinating film that has captured mine and so many others’ heart and I am going to explore what it means to me, as well as the ‘he is literally me’ concept that this film birthed.

A huge part of a film and my enjoyment of it comes from the opening scene. It is the same concept as an opening paragraph in an essay, the blurb or even the first chapter of a book, this needs to sell me on what I am about to watch and get me fully invested. I struggle to think of many better opening sequences than the pre title card moments in Drive. From those opening lines from Gosling, the suspense of the heist, the cold and calculated getaway chase and the complete silence in the car, so much suspense is built up using a variety of techniques of varying intensity to suck you in, to capture your full attention and investment into the story of the Driver. Once you watch him expertly escape and the camera pans to a panoramic view of Los Angeles with that incredible 80s synth pop soundtrack, there is no way you could not be hooked.

The character of the Driver is one of the most interesting in recent years. Here is a man, in this underworld of Los Angeles that confidently portrays a ruthlessly cool and effortless confidence with a calm arrogance, yet also struggles to make basic conversation with a girl he is interested in. His scripted pitch to the robbers, the toothpick and beautiful jacket combo, his meticulous planning as well as the incredible driving skill means that at no point does it ever feel like he is not in control; this world makes sense to him and he belongs. Contrast this to his ‘real life’. Driver’s real life matters so little to his identity that we never even learn his name. Sure, he has a cool job but he is disposable to the actual movie industry. He has no friends, no girlfriend, is socially awkward, appears to have very little money and not much really going for him. All these things that make him invaluable in the criminal aspect of his life, make his everyday life miserable. That is until he meets Irene and Benicio. From that point, as he starts to get closer to her and his ‘actual life’ starts to have some purpose, the lines between the two parts of his existence blur and he loses control over life. The cool exterior cracks and we see a man fight desperately to save what he loves and the life he desires. Gosling gives such an incredible performance due to his ability to portray both worlds so effectively. He is undeniably a beautiful man, and his cool charisma shines through in the seedy underbelly side of Driver’s life. This is not surprising, he is a movie star after all, most of us would likely use the term ‘cool’ to describe the average star. What elevates Gosling is his ability to play the socially awkward outcast just as well, it gives the character that believability and empathy required, but has also made him a hero for a generation of socially awkward men because, well let’s be honest, he looks like Ryan Gosling.

The cinematography in this film is a huge aspect that elevates it, really makes it stand out. The camera work is incredibly dynamic, creating a lot of depth and immersion. The shots from within the car toe the line between cinematic whilst also making you feel like a passenger in the vehicle during the chase. The saturation of colour in this film make it pop and create shots that last in the mind. Think of the masked Driver staring through the window of the restaurant, the neon soaked city, Gosling’s blood covered face staring wide eyed and crazed. The saturation of colour gives it a nostalgic feel, akin to an 80s crime series or movie. Paired with that incredible synth soundtrack and realistic car chases, it harks back to a forgotten genre of cinema, and effectively brings it in to the modern day. This film wears its influences on its sleeve, but does not copy them, rather adapts them to tell its own story. The biggest influence I get from this film is Taxi Driver, a man on the fringes of society that tries to connect with others. The difference here is that this idea is adapted enough to have its own identity.

The juxtaposition between the extremities of the two worlds creates a more powerful story altogether. The extreme wholesomeness and heart-warming feelings emitting from the scenes of the Driver with Irene and Benicio compared to the extreme, graphic violence of his criminal life only shows how he cannot live in both worlds, and how he can never truly be apart of a life with Irene. The elevator scene perfectly captures this. The lift lights dim perfectly to frame his kiss with Irene, the perfect moment, the one that the entire film had been building to. Suddenly, the light returns, The Driver stops the attack of the hired goon, then viscously stomps the attackers skull until his head is nothing but mush ground into the carpet. Irene recoils in horror, learning about his true character, the Driver accepts in this moment that he can never be the family man that he desperately wants to be, his anger and career path will never allow it. It such a powerful scene with outstanding filming techniques that sums up the entire dilemma of the story.

The power of this film lies in its simplicity. There is no big heist, not even a name for our main character. He only says 891 words the entire film. His desire for a simple life, a loving relationship and a purpose is one most people can identify with. Furthermore, his feelings of being trapped in a life he does not see as a true reflection of his character and his inability to escape this, and his social awkwardness make him an extremely relatable character. One meme you will see associated with this film is the ‘that’s literally me’ character and I cannot think of a better example of this type than in Drive. Whereas most other versions of these characters revolve around satire and criticism of the archetype that character represents (think Tyler Durden, Patrick Bateman), this is a much more sympathetic portrayal. Ultimately the extreme violence is hyper stylised and serves a purpose to show flaws of the character. The Driver himself does not accept this for the first half of the movie; he is the getaway driver; he does not hurt anyone. When Benicio’s father’s job goes wrong and he snaps in the hotel room, we see a man lashing out and fully slipping from his idea of himself as a good guy and embracing his dark side. This film makes it obvious that he is not someone to emulate, his life is miserable and he clearly has extreme anger issues repressed within, but he is certainly someone to empathise with. In my opinion, this is why this film has had such a cult following and large impact on so many, we can all empathise with the Driver, even just a little bit. On top of that, this is a truly wonderful film that looks absolutely stunning. If at any time during reading this, you have thought ‘that’s literally me!’ Do yourself a favour and watch this film, be that real hero.