Simon Ramshaw’s review published on Letterboxd:
"I used to produce movies. In the 80s. Kind of like action films. Sexy stuff. One critic called them European." - Bernie Rose
Amongst the many joyous viewings of Drive that I've had over the past two years, I've never noticed how the cinematography makes it look like it's straight from a graphic novel. Every shot is glossed over with a vivid streak of emphasised colour that makes each of the characters look even more beautiful or even more ugly than they normally would. The pulpy nature of the plot definitely lends itself to this comic-book coolness, and evokes all of the superhero stories you ever loved. After all, as the tagline reads, 'Some heroes are real'.
I cannot imagine Ryan Gosling being more perfect than he is here. There's a preposterous amount of subtlety exuded and you never know quite what Driver is. Is he a superhero? Is he mentally-challenged? Is he a guardian angel? This, we'll never know. But his performance sums up what makes the film so alluring: just what is happening beneath the stunningly gorgeous surface of Drive?
If nothing is happening beneath the surface, I don't care. Drive, for me, is all about the looks, the sounds and the feelings they give me. Consistently, it knocks me for six. Showing through the pulsing score lies a constant series of images that are never anything less than amazing. There is an insane number of shots that are beyond perfect, and the best of the bunch are the unorthodox sights that aren't exactly regular in this type of movie (the mask scene and the quick-cut to a crushed head are notable highlights). While there's not much substance under the thrilling surface, Drive cannot be beaten in terms of grace and style.
I believe that very few things in this world are perfect. Drive is one of them. I don't know what the others are.
