Drive

Movie Title--  Drive

Release Year--  2011

Running Time--  1 Hour and 40 Minutes

Director--  Nicolas Winding Refn

Cast--  Ryan Gosling, Bryan Cranston, Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Oscar Issac, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Kaden Leos

A Los Angeles wheelman for hire finds himself in trouble when he tries to help his neighbor.

An unnamed Driver (Ryan Gosling) works as a part time Hollywood stunt man and mechanic during the day and a getaway driver for robberies at night.  As a getaway driver, he only gives the robbers 5 minute window to do the entire job and reach his car before leaving the scene.  Both of his day jobs are managed by owner of the auto shop, Shannon (Bryan Cranston).

After the Driver befriends his new neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan), he falls for her but things get complicated when her husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) is released from jail.  Standard gets beaten up after he is released because he owes money to the mob for being protected in prison.  Standard is told that he has to rob a pawn shop in order to keep his family safe and Irene's son, Benicio (Kaden Leos) reveals to the Driver that one of the men that beat his father threatened his life by telling him to hold onto a bullet.

The Driver, wanting to keep Irene and Benicio safe offers to be the getaway driver for the pawn shop heist but things go terribly wrong, forcing the Driver into a dangerous game for his life and the lives of the two people he loves.

I did not like this film.  Maybe I didn't understand it but it just wasn't enjoyable at all to me.  More than once I found my mind wandering away from the screen.  There wasn't a whole lot of dialogue in this film and I think that is one reason the film really didn't hold my attention.  I feel like it took about 40 minutes to develop into anything worth watching and the rest of that turned out to be very graphically violent.  Don't get me wrong, I am not a prude that complains about violence but it was as if they were trying to achieve something with this film and when they couldn't the next best thing seemed to be fill it with violence.  (I will admit that I have not read the book that this is based off, therefore I can only imagine that the books reads pretty similar to the plot line of this film but I can not say for sure, so I do apologize if my comment is out of line.)

I feel like I can't even judge the acting in this film because I disliked it so much.  To me, everything just fell flat.  About the time the love story developed it was brought down by the return of the ex-con husband which kills the developing love and turning it into a longing by both parties that decide to do the honest thing by not pursuing their feelings for each other.

As far as this film goes, I would advise skipping this one.  Sitting through this one may actually make you die from boredom during the first half or the violence in second half will give you a heart attack.  Either way, I would not recommend this one.  Until next time, Don't Forget the Popcorn!