Drive (2011)
Romanticizing Los Angeles crime.
Presentation:
When I think of the romance of Los Angeles, I usually come back to Winding Refn’s magnum opus. Drive is a gritty, stylized and nostalgic love letter to L.A. crime films with his signature stylized twist. It has the violence and brutality of a Tarantino film but the romance of a slow, heart-touching drama with slow motion soundtracks. Gosling plays a relatable lead convincing you of a man capable of true love and brutality. It's impressive how much he overshadows the Oscar-winning Oscar Isaac. The anamorphic cinematography is one of a kind, making use of the far left and right sides. Nicolas Winding Refn’s best film and it’s not close.
Conclusion:
This is one of Refn’s more stylized films, not to mentioned a great script based on the novel. There is so much chemistry between the two leads with a mostly well executed emotional impact due to a memorable score. A fantastic mood piece for Los Angeles, you’ll definitely want to ride shotgun for this one. Like a real human bean!
Recommendations
Romanticizing Los Angeles crime.