There are no clean getaways Drive (2011) is a crime thriller romance movie. According to reviews, this movie receives a standing ovation during the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
Synopsis: A mysterious young man, codenamed "Driver" (Ryan Gosling) works as a garage mechanic and stunt driver by day and a getaway driver for local thugs at night. He falls in love with his neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan), a single mother whose husband is in prison. Meanwhile, his garage mechanic boss Shannon (Bryan Cranston) is trying to set up a race team by using money from local mobsters Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks) and Nino (Ron Perlman) and getting "Driver" to be the team's racer.
"Driver" finds himself in serious trouble after agreeing to drive for Irene's newly paroled husband Standard (Oscar Isaac). Standard is double-crossed and murdered in a heist in which "Driver" is also involved. Seeking to make things right, "Driver" embarks on a mission to protect Irene and her son from the murderous mobsters who seek to harm her to get at him.
Below is the excerpt from an excellent review that pretty much summarizes why this movie receives a standing ovation.
[Source]
It's a well-worn plot line which in the hands of someone less adept than Refn would likely be nothing more than a forgettable thriller, yet the massively talented director, who picked up the Best Director prize at Cannes this year for Drive, crafts an engaging and thrilling throwback film elevated by masterful performances across the board.
The technical achievements of Drive are more than matched by the acting of the entire cast, and Refn shrewdly selects a wide variety of performers to populate the story. Top notch support comes from Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, the ever dependable Ron Perlman, and particularly Brooks, who jettisons his familiar comedic persona in a truly frightening and villainous performance, which will surely be on the radar of voters come awards season. Mulligan shows characteristic heart in a largely overlooked role, yet the film unquestionably belongs to Gosling.
Often heralded as one of the finest actors of his generation, in Drive Gosling delivers his best work yet as the driver; a quiet role that is all the more effective due to the subtlety of the performance. He displays an ability to ratchet up the tension using just the slightest widening of his eyes and tensing of his jawline, and when the character is pushed to act more forcefully, Gosling transitions from almost silent observer to brutal aggressor so swiftly that it leaves one breathless. It's work that he makes look easy, yet it's the most focused performance seen in an action film in quite some time.
There's something undeniably retro about Drive, with its neon opening titles and 80s infused soundtrack, but the film seems remarkably fresh. Smart action film-making is so hard to come by these days, so Drive delivers refreshing variety, beginning the time of year when the so-called prestige pictures are released with a bang."
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