tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788843069923604924.post3952247008569004179..comments2023-03-22T09:58:34.858-04:00Comments on Maki at the Movies: DriveGREG MAKIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551224444112201906noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788843069923604924.post-44657652741491122682012-02-08T18:26:06.018-05:002012-02-08T18:26:06.018-05:00I don't, for the life of me, understand the ap...I don't, for the life of me, understand the appeal of this movie. <br /><br />Oh, wait, yes I do! Ladies and gents (mostly ladies) I present to you Mr. Ryan Goseling. Goseling's strength in the past has been portraying subtle, wounded, emotionally available guys and doing a damn fine job of it. Then America fell in love with him. Now, in Drive, he's little more than a handsome blank slate that the audience can either project themselves onto or on top of (or inside of or whatever). <br /><br />The first scene shows him as an awesome, smart, super-man action figure that men can pretend to be and women can pretend to be sitting next to in the theatre. The second sequence shows that he's slighly awkward and quiet around people (namely girls), which lets the men pretend that's how THEY are around women, and let's the women in the audience imagine themselves as the only person to truly appreciate this reserved man, this diamond in the rough. And that's pretty much ALL we ever learn about him, our nameless "Driver". His thoughts, his ideas, even his emotional state are a damn mystery - if you aren't projecting yours onto him, that is. Otherwise, the movie holds nothing for you and is a dull, brutal, slow moving action flick that people insist is 'cerebral'. <br /><br />What's smart about this movie? Because it moves slowly? He fights the mob with his car (and sometimes a hammer) to protect his blonde dream girl from some vague threats. Also, there's a heist gone bad (that we don't get to see). Sorry, I'm trying to find the parts of this that are 'smart'. The camera angles are neat... some of the lighting is impressive... the music is AWFUL. So... I don't know, I can't figure it.<br /><br />It's not a bad movie, and people seem to really (really!) respond to it. But I warn you that, if you don't love the "Driver" "character" (read: Ryan Goseling) on sight, instantly, wihtout thinking or expecting anything - this movie has nothing for you. It's an action movie that's no fun, a character movie with almost no character, and... cerebral... somehow.<br /><br />...sorry, I just finally saw this movie and wanted to talk about. Thanks!otherGregnoreply@blogger.com