October Film Of The Month: Drive
It's actually tough to recommend just one film this month, as there's been an impressive slate of cinema releases in recent weeks, so please allow me to give "honourable mentions" to a couple of four-star thrillers...
'The Debt' is a solid remake of the Israeli movie 'Ha-Hov'. Its two strongest qualities are a strong script (by Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman) and an outstanding cast, led by Helen Mirren and Tom Wilkinson. A terrific team of British acting talent is also at the heart of Tomas Alfredson's adaptation of John le Carré's 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'. This movie looks like it was made in the 1970s, thanks to its impressive production design and muted, grainy cinematography.
But the highlight for me this autumn has been 'Drive' - which also feels like it was produced in another decade: the 1980s. It's an awesome, ultra-violent retro thriller with shades of Michael Mann, Walter Hill's 'The Driver' and Jean-Pierre Melville's 'Le Samouraï'. It has a beautiful superficiality, courtesy of its glossy 'scope photography, neon credits and Moroder-esque soundtrack (which has been on my iPod non-stop since I watched the movie).
Yes, it's derivative, but who cares? Ryan Gosling deserves an Oscar nomination for his intense performance as the anonymous anti-hero. Carey Mulligan is a charming leading lady and Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman are an unlikely, but effective pair of villains.
As far as plot and dialogue are concerned, minimalism is key. Director Nicolas Winding Refn lets his imagery do the talking. Every single shot is a lesson in how to light and frame a motion picture; every scene demonstrates how to create narrative tension through editing. It should be pointed out that much of the movie's imagery is extremely brutal, with no act of violence left to the audience's imagination.
'Drive' is pure cinema. It's a film that lingers in the memory for days and may well be the best movie I've seen this year. By the way, there's a connection between 'Drive' and 'Tinker Tailor': both are directed by Scandinavian film-makers. I keep telling you, people, Nordic cinema is where it's at!