15th Anniversary!
Previously known for his menacing biographical crime drama Bronson and genre-defining Pusher trilogy, Danish provocateur Nicolas Winding Refn violently broke through to the American psyche in 2011 with the release of his singularly visionary, and Cannes “Best Director”-winning, film Drive.
A sleek neon-soaked synth scored masterpiece that turned a satin scorpion jacket into a pop culture icon and reminded everyone that Ryan Gosling (Project Hail Mary) could say more with a single stare in his soulful eyes than most actors can with pages of dialogue. As the unnamed “Driver” (a Hollywood stuntman who picks up extra cash as a getaway wheelman), Gosling finds his carefully ordered life spinning out of control after getting involved with his neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman) while crossing paths with some very dangerous people.
What starts as a stripped-down action thriller gradually reveals itself to be something stranger, sadder, and far more hypnotic. Refn mixes fairy tale romance, brutal bursts of violence, and immaculate visual style into a film that's as comfortable lingering in silence as it is revving engines and leaving a trail of burnt rubber in its wake. Backed by Cliff Martinez's legendary score and a brilliant cast including Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaac, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, and a Golden Globe-nominated performance from Albert Brooks, Drive became an instant phenomenon whose influence is still felt in film, fashion and soundtracks to this very day.
2011, 100 Minutes, USA, Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, Rated R
“An ambient mood piece that his you like a shot of nitroglycerine enhanced adrenaline yet goes down as smoothly as an expensive slug of single-malt.”
– Sara Michelle Fetters, MovieFreak.com
“Anyone watching Drive won't be able to take their eyes off Gosling. Playing a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a wheelman for criminals, he rocks like a young Steve McQueen or Robert De Niro.”
– Peter Howell, Toronto Star
“A needle-punch of adrenaline to the aorta.”
– Christopher Orr, The Atlantic
“Slickly compelling, beautifully crafted and so damn shiny.”
– Tom Huddleston, Time Out
“Easily one of the most memorable and effective films of not just this year but the last several”
– Brian Tallerico, The Deadbolt
“Pedal-to-the-metal stuff. Don't get behind the wheel unless you can take the rush.”
– Tom Long, Detroit News
