RBR: Drive

When I first saw this film advertised last fall I had quickly dismissed it as nothing more than a Transporter ripoff. Then the reviews started coming in and we baffling strong. At that point, I was predisposed to hate the film and the way it was being overpraised. But being the open-minded guy that I like to think that I am, I still decided to give the film a try. As much as I didn't want to admit it, the critics were right about the cool vibe that the film has. Often a film like this ends up trying too hard and becomes unhip, but this one struck the right note at being trendy and stylish. The film has a great look and an excellent score. And while I still don't think he's as good of an actor as many claim he is, Ryan Gosling does give a terrific performance here. He plays a stunt driver who also occassionally works as a getaway driver for two bit thieves. The driving sequences in the film are really well done and show the art that actually goes in to effectively eluding those who are chasing you. I only wish that the film had kept its focus on the driving throughout the film. As the story progresses, it settles into a heist gone wrong plot that has an all-too familiar feel to it. Thankfully, there's Albert Brooks playing a movie producer/mob boss to elevate those scenes and make them tolerable. I'm still not convinced that the movie is as good as some critics claimed it to be, but I will admit that this is a much better film than I thought it would be. I think the film's tone, solid acting, and decent action scenes are enough to make this worthy of a rental. If you were like me and were turned off by the excessive fawning over this film, do yourself a favor and give it a consideration. Rating: ****