Drive (dir N.W. Refn)

COOLEHMAGAZINE · Post by **COOLEHMAGAZINE** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 1:10 pm

perfectprism wrote:And it certainly had noirish elements, but I don't really get what 'trying to be a noir' means. Noir is a pretty loosely defined term at is, it 's not like there are rules to it.

It fit the bill, it just didn't do a very good job of following through on being a movie that did anything besides look good.

Maybe I'm being harsh. There were good scenes, great moments, great ideas, points at which I was on the edge of my seat.

But it never became more than the sum of its parts. It pretty much just remained a bunch of mismatched parts that when put together, didn't have much of anything to say. Didn't say nothing with any particularly incredible panache. Weak ending...really, really weak. Much might have been forgiven if not for that terrible parking lot fight and resulting death scene that wasn't. More drama than action but the drama was hollow since, again, I didn't care about the characters nor did the director after about halfway through.

perfectprism · Post by **perfectprism** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 2:14 pm

I agree that the movie felt a little patched together. That it didn't "say" much in the end didn't bother me though, which I guess is the difference. If a movie goes out to "say" something, and says it well, I admire it. But if it never seems to be trying to say much in the first place, and seemed focused more on leaving a strong impression, I find difficulty faulting it for that. From the onset "Drive" never set up a pretense of being anything other than a "go along for the ride" kind of movie. I think embracing that sort of ambivalence is refreshing, and mature, rather than the usual shoe-horning of some kind of point or moral for these types of films.

I think the ending was pretty weak, too.

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 4:07 pm

Jesus christ. It's a fucking stylized action movie some awesome violence. Why is this thread becoming a term paper?

perfectprism · Post by **perfectprism** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 4:31 pm

Discussing film on a film discussion board

Comedy Quaddafi · Post by **Comedy Quaddafi** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 4:33 pm

Blockhead wrote:Jesus christ. It's a fucking stylized action movie some awesome violence. Why is this thread becoming a term paper?

Yeah but I just don't feel anything for the characters. Maybe if Le Gos was less emotionally unavailable I could bond with him and feel his essence deep inside me, in the same way I really connected with Shia LaBeouf in Transformers. I mean no one likes Rambo because Sly doesn't talk enough, right?

Oh, and the "scripting" is just not good. I've decided that this is crucial for some reason and my critique remains purposely vague because I don't have the analytical tools to properly explain my own opinion. If confronted I will dodge the legitimate questions asked and basically repeat myself using the same nonsense rhetoric. Also, I'm not an adult who can think for himself so I need movies to have deeper meanings I can learn from, yes, even stylish and violent action movies (this is the first stylish and violent action movie that should be judged on the basis of what it can teach us because I have psychic powers and I'm certain the director intended to insert cool messages about life-stuff).

Money Daniels · Post by **Money Daniels** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 5:01 pm

Comedy Quaddafi wrote:
Blockhead wrote:Jesus christ. It's a fucking stylized action movie some awesome violence. Why is this thread becoming a term paper?
Yeah but I just don't feel anything for the characters. Maybe if Le Gos was less emotionally unavailable I could bond with him and feel his essence deep inside me, in the same way I really connected with Shia LaBeouf in Transformers. I mean no one likes Rambo because Sly doesn't talk enough, right?

Oh, and the "scripting" is just not good. I've decided that this is crucial for some reason and my critique remains purposely vague because I don't have the analytical tools to properly explain my own opinion. If confronted I will dodge the legitimate questions asked and basically repeat myself using the same nonsense rhetoric. Also, I'm not an adult who can think for himself so I need movies to have deeper meanings I can learn from, yes, even stylish and violent action movies (this is the first stylish and violent action movie that should be judged on the basis of what it can teach us because I have psychic powers and I'm certain the director intended to insert cool messages about life-stuff).

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 5:46 pm

perfectprism wrote:Discussing film on a film discussion board

I get this but people reasoning behind not enjoying this fairly enjoyable movie seem based on everything but the actual film. It's letting the critical eye get in the way of just enjoying something for what it is.
Basically, it's not that deep a movie to be lending such deep thoughts to.

also,

at CQ

COOLEHMAGAZINE · Post by **COOLEHMAGAZINE** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:45 pm

Comedy Quaddafi wrote:
Blockhead wrote:Jesus christ. It's a fucking stylized action movie some awesome violence. Why is this thread becoming a term paper?

Yeah but I just don't feel anything for the characters. Maybe if Le Gos was less emotionally unavailable I could bond with him and feel his essence deep inside me, in the same way I really connected with Shia LaBeouf in Transformers. I mean no one likes Rambo because Sly doesn't talk enough, right?

Oh, and the "scripting" is just not good. I've decided that this is crucial for some reason and my critique remains purposely vague because I don't have the analytical tools to properly explain my own opinion. If confronted I will dodge the legitimate questions asked and basically repeat myself using the same nonsense rhetoric. Also, I'm not an adult who can think for himself so I need movies to have deeper meanings I can learn from, yes, even stylish and violent action movies (this is the first stylish and violent action movie that should be judged on the basis of what it can teach us because I have psychic powers and I'm certain the director intended to insert cool messages about life-stuff).

I actually explained my opinion pretty clearly and addressed every question you posed. Unsurprising reaction though, you seem like the type.

To your point that maybe I am attempting to read too much into a stylized action movie, I answered that I am going off the interviews of director and actor and what I saw on the screen.

I also said that if "Drive" is just meant to be a cool action movie, it was woefully short on action...to my taste. "Ronin" is a cool action movie, there is drama and moments of sentimentalizing but cars drive and bullets fly. This was a pretty quiet, contemplative movie except for some brief moments of crazy violence.

I also think that the ending was terrible no matter what type of movie it was trying to be.

I also thought the characters were flat as hell, but not in a way that enhanced what the movie was trying to say. If it indeed was trying to say anything.

This is all too complex for you? Okay, let me break it down further...

Thought the movie was pretty to look at but anti-climactic and pointless, with an awful ending tacked on. Oh, and too much music.

That okay? How "Joe Sixpack" do I need to get for your head to stop spinning?

Too academic? Highbrow? Aiite, how's this...

Shit was weak, son.

COOLEHMAGAZINE · Post by **COOLEHMAGAZINE** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:47 pm

Blockhead wrote:
perfectprism wrote:Discussing film on a film discussion board
I get this but people reasoning behind not enjoying this fairly enjoyable movie seem based on everything but the actual film. It's letting the critical eye get in the way of just enjoying something for what it is.
Basically, it's not that deep a movie to be lending such deep thoughts to.

also, at CQ

I saw the movie. I thought it was beautifully shot at points but ultimately I was neither entertained, nor enlightened.

Is it too much to ask for one of those to occur?

perfectprism · Post by **perfectprism** » Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:49 pm

Yeah I agree it's pretty funny/sad/weird that this of all movies gets a 5 page thread. At the same time I could tell it was going to be a polarizing, and even had a discussion with a friend of mine about that on the way back. Just one of those movies that gets people talking for whatever reason.

And that above question is definitely a trap

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 12:31 am

COOLEHMAGAZINE wrote:
Blockhead wrote:
perfectprism wrote:Discussing film on a film discussion board
I get this but people reasoning behind not enjoying this fairly enjoyable movie seem based on everything but the actual film. It's letting the critical eye get in the way of just enjoying something for what it is.
Basically, it's not that deep a movie to be lending such deep thoughts to.

also, at CQ
I saw the movie. I thought it was beautifully shot at points but ultimately I was neither entertained, nor enlightened.

Is it too much to ask for one of those to occur?

Well, if the action scenes didn't entertain you, I don't know what to tell you.

Imo, Once he takes the turn (when he tells off the guy in the diner) it's pretty much non-stop entertainment to me.

It's no "Girl 6"! (just kidding, dude)

Mindbender Futurama · Tue Oct 04, 2011 12:41 am

Cash Rulz wrote:Movie sucked.

The attraction wasn't developed or made sense. I felt NO feeling at all toward Gosling's character. And like Ivy League said, it seemed like the silences were overplayed. The cinematography was not good enough to make up for lack of a bad script and equally bad character development.

Too me, liking this film seems like an attempt at trying to understand bullshit. I swear the same dude who wrote this screenplay, wrote the screenplay for Skyline.

x

fuck those extended silences were like "YOU PEOPLE ARE NOT PRETENTIOUS AND CUTE, YOU ARE NIMWIT DULLARDS."

and

@ comparing this to THEEEE WORST MOVIE OF ALLLLL TIME: SKYLINE. whoa now. it's not THAT bad, cmon now. Let's not say things we can't take back, LOL! But seriously...

@ all this hype over it. Fucking artsy ass experiment that is not worth the time invested. Had its impactful moments, had a couple realistic outcomes that also satisfied... but the rest of it was an utterly underwhelming experience.

Script? Weeeeak. Sure, Gosling can be the strong silent type... and he half pulls it off. Too bad he doesn't say much of anything stirring when he DOES speak, which is how you would hope Refn had the wisdom to play it. Not only does he make Gosling 3/4ths mute, he makes everyone else brood or mope or sulk or scowl without much else to say that isn't directly obvious anyways. These characters fought valiantly in losing the fight to break out of their one-dimensional archetypes.

"Never became the sum of its parts" = :copy:

yeah. and DEFINITELY NOT ENOUGH EXCITING DRIVING SCENES.

there isn't more than 3 hi-speed scenes, and the first one isn't even that intense, because it's actually so realistic.

like, wtf.

I blame the director, not Gosling. He's gonna slay in the Ides of March, with Clooney helming it.

'Drive' is already my biggest disappointment of the year... ESPECIALLY CAUSE OF THE CHRISTINA

HENDRICKS SITUATION, FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU :nut:

shit is disgusting, B.

Mindbender Futurama · Tue Oct 04, 2011 12:47 am

COOLEHMAGAZINE wrote:
Comedy Quaddafi wrote:
Blockhead wrote:Jesus christ. It's a fucking stylized action movie some awesome violence. Why is this thread becoming a term paper?

Yeah but I just don't feel anything for the characters. Maybe if Le Gos was less emotionally unavailable I could bond with him and feel his essence deep inside me, in the same way I really connected with Shia LaBeouf in Transformers. I mean no one likes Rambo because Sly doesn't talk enough, right?

Oh, and the "scripting" is just not good. I've decided that this is crucial for some reason and my critique remains purposely vague because I don't have the analytical tools to properly explain my own opinion. If confronted I will dodge the legitimate questions asked and basically repeat myself using the same nonsense rhetoric. Also, I'm not an adult who can think for himself so I need movies to have deeper meanings I can learn from, yes, even stylish and violent action movies (this is the first stylish and violent action movie that should be judged on the basis of what it can teach us because I have psychic powers and I'm certain the director intended to insert cool messages about life-stuff).

I actually explained my opinion pretty clearly and addressed every question you posed. Unsurprising reaction though, you seem like the type.

To your point that maybe I am attempting to read too much into a stylized action movie, I answered that I am going off the interviews of director and actor and what I saw on the screen.

I also said that if "Drive" is just meant to be a cool action movie, it was woefully short on action...to my taste. "Ronin" is a cool action movie, there is drama and moments of sentimentalizing but cars drive and bullets fly. This was a pretty quiet, contemplative movie except for some brief moments of crazy violence.

I also think that the ending was terrible no matter what type of movie it was trying to be.

I also thought the characters were flat as hell, but not in a way that enhanced what the movie was trying to say. If it indeed was trying to say anything.

This is all too complex for you? Okay, let me break it down further...

Thought the movie was pretty to look at but anti-climactic and pointless, with an awful ending tacked on. Oh, and too much music.

That okay? How "Joe Sixpack" do I need to get for your head to stop spinning?

Too academic? Highbrow? Aiite, how's this...

Shit was weak, son.

excelsior!

I'm a fucking humongous Gosling fan, and was waiting for him to be a lead star in an action movie, cause he's been doing other shit for so long (he was great in 'Crazy Stupid Love' f'realzies) and I wanted 'Drive' to be THE fucking slept-on action movie of the year.

SUPER MEGA FAIL.

Cooleh, I fully agree with every molecule you broke this movie down into, ESPECIALLY that there was barely any action. To be honest, that

elevator action was actually unnecessary, LOL
enough. off to go see if 'Killer Elite' is as underwhelming as some say it is supposed to be

x

Andvil · Post by **Andvil** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 3:02 am

can someone lock this thread and ban everyone in it

sun ra · Post by **sun ra** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 11:00 am

good neonoir to watch it on a sunday afternoon
no emotions but still a good flick.

Thun · Post by **Thun** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 12:31 pm

COOLEHMAGAZINE wrote:
Comedy Quaddafi wrote:
Blockhead wrote:Jesus christ. It's a fucking stylized action movie some awesome violence. Why is this thread becoming a term paper?

Yeah but I just don't feel anything for the characters. Maybe if Le Gos was less emotionally unavailable I could bond with him and feel his essence deep inside me, in the same way I really connected with Shia LaBeouf in Transformers. I mean no one likes Rambo because Sly doesn't talk enough, right?

Oh, and the "scripting" is just not good. I've decided that this is crucial for some reason and my critique remains purposely vague because I don't have the analytical tools to properly explain my own opinion. If confronted I will dodge the legitimate questions asked and basically repeat myself using the same nonsense rhetoric. Also, I'm not an adult who can think for himself so I need movies to have deeper meanings I can learn from, yes, even stylish and violent action movies (this is the first stylish and violent action movie that should be judged on the basis of what it can teach us because I have psychic powers and I'm certain the director intended to insert cool messages about life-stuff).

I actually explained my opinion pretty clearly and addressed every question you posed. Unsurprising reaction though, you seem like the type.

To your point that maybe I am attempting to read too much into a stylized action movie, I answered that I am going off the interviews of director and actor and what I saw on the screen.

I also said that if "Drive" is just meant to be a cool action movie, it was woefully short on action...to my taste. "Ronin" is a cool action movie, there is drama and moments of sentimentalizing but cars drive and bullets fly. This was a pretty quiet, contemplative movie except for some brief moments of crazy violence.

I also think that the ending was terrible no matter what type of movie it was trying to be.

I also thought the characters were flat as hell, but not in a way that enhanced what the movie was trying to say. If it indeed was trying to say anything.

This is all too complex for you? Okay, let me break it down further...

Thought the movie was pretty to look at but anti-climactic and pointless, with an awful ending tacked on. Oh, and too much music.

That okay? How "Joe Sixpack" do I need to get for your head to stop spinning?

Too academic? Highbrow? Aiite, how's this...

Shit was weak, son.

Forum is starting to look a little to much like M2C these days.

Comedy Quaddafi · Post by **Comedy Quaddafi** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 4:11 pm

COOLEHMAGAZINE wrote: This is all too complex for you? Okay, let me break it down further...

That okay? How "Joe Sixpack" do I need to get for your head to stop spinning?

Too academic? Highbrow? Aiite, how's this...

Shit was weak, son.

Word your argumentation is just too complex for a provincial serf like me. Good call. Thanks for translating your brilliant observations to peasant-speak.

Anyway, like I said, if we keep bitching and nitpicking whenever someone takes a chance and does something a bit different, then we're going to keep getting more uninteresting assembly-line movies which is more or less all we got this summer (for some reason they're never subjected to this sort of scrutiny, for reasons unknown). Nice things just can't be had.

The Ivy League Nigga · Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:24 pm

Hey, you guys who are critiquing this movie, I think you might have forgot the part where HE FUCKIN' WEARS A COOL LOOKING MASK AND KILLS SOMEONE!

Gregg Popabitch · Post by **Gregg Popabitch** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:41 pm

Wow, you guys have successfully made me go from "shit, i want to see this movie" to officially being skeptical.

360 · Post by **360** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:49 pm

^^^

Only idiots let themselves be influenced by idiots and you're no idiot.

Blockhead · Post by **Blockhead** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:08 pm

I'm pretty certain Greg will like this movie.

COOLEHMAGAZINE · Post by **COOLEHMAGAZINE** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:53 pm

Comedy Quaddafi wrote:
COOLEHMAGAZINE wrote: This is all too complex for you? Okay, let me break it down further...

That okay? How "Joe Sixpack" do I need to get for your head to stop spinning?

Too academic? Highbrow? Aiite, how's this...

Shit was weak, son.
Word your argumentation is just too complex for a provincial serf like me. Good call. Thanks for translating your brilliant observations to peasant-speak.

Anyway, like I said, if we keep bitching and nitpicking whenever someone takes a chance and does something a bit different, then we're going to keep getting more uninteresting assembly-line movies which is more or less all we got this summer (for some reason they're never subjected to this sort of scrutiny, for reasons unknown). Nice things just can't be had.

I made calm, rational observations regarding my opinion of the movie.

Your response was to write up two elaborate paragraphs mocking me for my arguments not making any sense, and me being too cowardly to defend them. This is all couched as though I was attempting to sounds smart while not knowing what I'm talking about.

I respond to your bullshit ad hominem by restating the things I said previously, and the reasoning behind my thoughts. I then restate my points in as plain english as I can manage. You, after all, are the one trying to portray me as dodging your questions and being overly academic.

Now you roll your eyes at that...

You're looking pretty insecure right now. Either you have an actual point of mine to refute or you should just accept that we don't have the same opinions of this movie or perhaps movies in general. Making fun of me for using "big words" is pretty 5th grade but like I said, you seem like that type.

If you think Drive was so amazing that no one in their right mind could possibly find it underwhelming, then you live a very sheltered existence.

I don't feel any need to speak well of a movie that I thought was unimpressive just because it tried to do something different. I appreciate that it was more ambitious than "Killer Elite" or "Fast Five" but that does not mean I have to ignore "Drive's" many shortcomings. I just did not think it was very good. Creative filmmaking will not be bolstered by movies that try to do something different but ultimately fail, unless someone points out how they failed. My analysis may be wrong. Maybe ten years from now I will have some other opinion, but right now, I think it was meh. End of story.

And since you are wondering, assembly line summer movies do not get subjected to this type of scrutiny because they are assembly line summer movies. You might as well ask why Nas albums draw a level of critical scrutiny beyond that of the Black Eyed Peas.

Comedy Quaddafi · Post by **Comedy Quaddafi** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 8:43 pm

It was a meant as a joke mostly, kinda petulant though (didn't make fun of big words or you being academic but whatever). We disagree on what the movie intended to do and whether it failed. I think this movie is best seen without putting a lot of thought in to it, it's a slick macho-fetish action extravaganza, enjoy the ride (judge accordingly afterwerds). It's inarguably more well-made and much cooler than what we're used to so it shouldn't be that hard IMO.

Surprised it's on 8.4 on IMDB with 27.000 votes. Well done.

Gregg Popabitch · Post by **Gregg Popabitch** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 10:05 pm

admittedly, i only read the last page when i wrote that post.

i have now read the thread.

Brougham33 · Post by **Brougham33** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 3:00 pm

Movie is awesome. Thread has aids.

alpha · Post by **alpha** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:17 pm

Brougham33 wrote:Movie is awesome. Thread has aids.

yup. To add on, I thought the emotions of the characters were conveyed well through the the things they didn't say and the way they were shot. Irl, its often the things we don't say and the actions we take that show how we feel. Imo, the film did a good a job on it. 2. I just can't take cq's opinion serious other than on horror flicks after his posting in the "films you'll never see" thread.

perfectprism · Post by **perfectprism** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:17 pm

yeah this thread became pretty gross but whatever, at least there was some extended discussion about a movie instead of the usual half page of vague one sentence impressions

perfectprism · Post by **perfectprism** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:21 pm

alpha wrote:To add on, I thought the emotions of the characters were conveyed well through the the things they didn't say and the way they were shot. Irl, its often the things we don't say and the actions we take that show how we feel.

For sure. 87 percent of communication is nonverbal (or something close to that). "Drive" might have taken it to a bit of an extreme, but it was obviously a stylistic choice and helped to ratchet up the tension, and the expense of being a little awkward at times when they overdid it.

The Ivy League Nigga · Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:32 pm

An illustrated response to drive:
http://thehairpin.com/2011/10/drive-an- ... d-response

Comedy Quaddafi · Post by **Comedy Quaddafi** » Wed Oct 05, 2011 4:33 pm

alpha wrote:I just can't take cq's opinion serious other than on horror flicks after his posting in the "films you'll never see" thread.

You shouldn't. If never wanting to see Precious or The English Patient makes me unserious then I can live with that.

Thread's dope and more entertaining than most threads about new movies. Acting 2cool4school doesn't mean you improved this thread in any way. Sorry.

If people were nitpicking your beloved The Expendables or Inception most of you would act even worse than I have, correct?