Arts & Culture
September 16, 2011
'Drive' is a Wild Ride
Ryan Gosling stars in raw, intense film noir
As the pre-Oscar season revs up, the movie heavy weights are coming out. One is the film noir “Drive,” directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. A raw and esoteric action drama, “Drive” offers intense visuals and an excellent cast.
The Danish filmmaker won best director for "Drive" at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The camera tells the story through fleeting glances, long close ups and violent bursts of action. The dialogue is lean.
"And so when we went into the film, I asked the director if he was O.K. if we just take out anything that was unnecessary in terms of dialogue," says Ryan Gosling, who stars in the film. "And when we started going through it, we realized that there really wasn't much that was necessary and that you could maybe tell a story more effectively without dialogue."
Tension is in high gear during the opening getaway scene. The driver is calm as he maneuvers his silver Impala on the streets of L.A. Suddenly, he bursts into action, evading police. After experiencing these five intoxicating minutes before the opening credits, we know the two-hour ride will be worth it.
We know nothing about the driver’s past. He is taciturn but reliable and skilled behind the wheel. Apart from his getaways, he works as a stuntman in Hollywood and a garage mechanic. He is amoral until he falls in love with Irene, played by Carey Mulligan.
Irene is married to a convict. When he gets out of prison, he’s forced to do a robbery.
If he refuses, his family will die, so the driver offers to help him out. But things go wrong. Irene’s husband has been set up by the mafia and is murdered. The driver is left with $1 million in a bag and mobsters on his trail.
The film recalls action dramas of the 1980s and superhero comics.
The driver becomes the avenger. He's a noble hero who is introspective and sweet but can turn deadly. At times, to advance the story, Refn goes surreal.
"It's like a fairy tale structure, you know," Refn says. "It slowly builds up the momentum and then the knight has to slay the dragon or kill the witch or the evil this or the evil that."
Gosling offers a textured performance as the Driver, showing his versatility in what is already a promising career.
"Drive" has all the elements of a cult film: strong characters, depth, great cinematography and breathtaking chases. Some may not like the violence but, like in Quentin Tarantino’s signature films, it's integral to the story.
The Danish filmmaker won best director for "Drive" at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The camera tells the story through fleeting glances, long close ups and violent bursts of action. The dialogue is lean.
"And so when we went into the film, I asked the director if he was O.K. if we just take out anything that was unnecessary in terms of dialogue," says Ryan Gosling, who stars in the film. "And when we started going through it, we realized that there really wasn't much that was necessary and that you could maybe tell a story more effectively without dialogue."
Tension is in high gear during the opening getaway scene. The driver is calm as he maneuvers his silver Impala on the streets of L.A. Suddenly, he bursts into action, evading police. After experiencing these five intoxicating minutes before the opening credits, we know the two-hour ride will be worth it.
We know nothing about the driver’s past. He is taciturn but reliable and skilled behind the wheel. Apart from his getaways, he works as a stuntman in Hollywood and a garage mechanic. He is amoral until he falls in love with Irene, played by Carey Mulligan.
Irene is married to a convict. When he gets out of prison, he’s forced to do a robbery.
If he refuses, his family will die, so the driver offers to help him out. But things go wrong. Irene’s husband has been set up by the mafia and is murdered. The driver is left with $1 million in a bag and mobsters on his trail.
The film recalls action dramas of the 1980s and superhero comics.
The driver becomes the avenger. He's a noble hero who is introspective and sweet but can turn deadly. At times, to advance the story, Refn goes surreal.
"It's like a fairy tale structure, you know," Refn says. "It slowly builds up the momentum and then the knight has to slay the dragon or kill the witch or the evil this or the evil that."
Gosling offers a textured performance as the Driver, showing his versatility in what is already a promising career.
"Drive" has all the elements of a cult film: strong characters, depth, great cinematography and breathtaking chases. Some may not like the violence but, like in Quentin Tarantino’s signature films, it's integral to the story.
單字
- rev[rɛv]發動機的旋轉(口語)
- intense [ɪnˋtɛns]強烈的/劇烈的
- fleeting glances [ˋflitɪŋ] [glæns]瞥視
- burst [bɝst]爆炸
- evade [ɪˋved]閃躲/逃避
- intoxicating [ɪnˋtɑksə͵ketɪŋ]使醉的
- amoral [eˋmɔrəl]與道德無關的
- robbery [ˋrɑbərɪ] 搶劫/盜取
- refuses[rɪˋfjuz]拒絕
- introspective[͵ɪntrəˋspɛktɪv]自省的/內省的/反思的
- structure[ˋstrʌktʃɚ]組織/結構/構造
- versatility[͵vɝsəˋtɪlətɪ]多才多藝的
- integral[ˋɪntəgrəl]構成整體所必需的, 不可缺的[(+to)]
- esoteric [͵ɛsəˋtɛrɪk] 祕傳的, 難理解的
- raw [rɔ] 生的, 未煮過的
- noir [nwɑr] 【法】輪盤戲中黑色數字的
- lean [lin] 傾斜
- gear [gɪr] 齒輪; 傳動裝置; (汽車)排檔[c][u]
- getaway [ˋgɛtə͵we] 逃走
- calm [kɑm] 鎮靜的, 沈著的
- maneuvers [məˋnuvɚ] (部隊等的)調動; 機動
- taciturn [ˋtæsə͵tɝn] 沈默寡言的; 無言的
- stuntman 拍攝危險鏡頭時做電影演員替身的雜技演員
- garage [gəˋrɑʒ] 車房, 車庫; 飛機庫
- mechanic [məˋkænɪk] 機械工, 修理工, 技工[c]
- convict [kənˋvɪkt] 證明...有罪; 判...有罪, 判決[h][(+of)]
- mobster [ˋmɑbstɚ] 【俚】暴徒(或流氓)集團的一份子; 匪徒
- trail [trel] 拖, 曳
- avenger [əˋvɛndʒɚ] 復仇者
- noble [ˋnob!] 高貴的, 高尚的, 崇高的
- surreal [səˋriəl] 超現實的; 超現實主義(派)的; (夢幻般)荒誕不經的
- momentum [moˋmɛntəm] 【物】動量, 衝量[u][c]
- textured [ˋtɛkstʃɚd] 具有特定結構的
- cult [kʌlt] 膜拜, 膜拜儀式
- cinematography [͵sɪnəməˋtɑgrəfɪ]電影藝術
- chase [tʃes] 追逐; 追捕; 追蹤
- breathtaking [ˋbrɛθ͵tekɪŋ] 驚人的
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