{feelings} drive
Before I get down to anything serious, I feel like I should make the important and blatant point that: oh lord Ryan Gosling could get it.
Right, so now that's out of the way, let's get down to this. I have a lot of problems in term of politics with this film but, I also really fucking loved it. I knew going in it was going to be problematic so I guess I was prepared for that? But I also wasn't expecting to have such a visceral enjoyment of it? And I really did and that is what I find so surprising?
I mean, so much of it is the worst in terms of my personal feelings because hi, the ladies aren't exactly anything to write home about and there is some awkward Jewish ish which, in construction is so interesting but may well be accidental? Which is really I think my biggest problem because this film is, at least that is how I saw it, a film about how this guy, the Driver is an okay guy who is also sort of a sociopath? It is about how bad people can do good things even if their morals are screwed, but I honestly don't know if that's how it was meant. Which, death of the author why do I care? only I do. I personally feel that the film is constructed to show how bad people can do good things. I also think that by casting Ryan, there was a definite address in what we expect extreme violence to look like, who we expect it to be perpetrated by? Making this textually horrific person look like Ryan Gosling was about making the unpalatable a surprise because it comes wrapped up looking like him. So much of the tension and surprise is derived from the fact that this is a quiet, seemingly gentle, good-lucking dude who sometimes drives getaway cars, flips when pushed and goes too far. He doesn't carry a gun, and he doesn't get involved. But there is also this twisted, horrific rage in him and is so easily let out and it is abhorrent. See: THAT ELEVATOR SCENE. The best of all scenes. Because that kiss is all about the moment, that this is the last possible moment that she can see him as a good person and so if he doesn't kiss her now, he can never do it. And then he turns and he disarms the dude, but then it gets out of control, he gets out of control. It deliberately positions him as someone who is attractive, who is capable of feeling who mere seconds later beats a man to a pulp. Literally.
Aesthetically it is everything I love. It's got this weird 1980s homage thing - I mean look at the fucking font of the poster, it's neon pink fake handwriting last seen in 1987 and it's hilarious but also wonderful. The soundtrack is also very synth-heavy in an 80s-esque way and that's just beautiful. The direction is just, it is absolutely stunning although I think most of the props here go to the director of photography. Seriously, fuck me, I haven't seen such a beautiful job with light in ages; as I said to Elyssa, I could kiss the DOP. There is just such creative use of light and negative space and shadows cast and I actually cannot. There's a shot to the end of the film that is just the shadows and I, it was such a wonderful creative choice. What I really loved is that Refn made a very conscious decision to keep us distant, to keep the audience separate from the action on screen - only using close up on moments to make you feel uncomfortable. There's also a fair bit of slow motion which is possibly my least favourite film technique ever but it was used so well here. The things we got in slow motion were designed to counterpoint each other and it was stunning. In particular the elevator scene, it was such a release of tension followed by such extreme violence, and by using slow motion it was intended to keep you absolutely in the moment, so that you couldn't look away.
I'm also just fascinated with the construction of it, I've not read the book it's based on so I honestly don't know how it compares, but it was just so well paced. And it's a movie with such a small amount of dialogue that it means it really falls on the actors to make it good. They chose really fucking well in Ryan Gosling. I sometimes forget how stunningly talented I think he is, and then something like this happens and I'm like
oh
that is how you do acting
Especially because so much of this film rides on his face, there's no dialogue to cushion the blow. His character is reluctant to talk so it's filled with conversational silence but so much is being communicated just in the way he holds himself and uses his face. (Secretly what this film is all about is the fact that Ryan Gosling has a face.) There is this amazing still quality to him in this film and it says so much.
Carey was good, she was always bound to be, but the fact that the role was for a Latina actress and she ended up being cast completely coloured the film for me. Because in all honesty making Irene white made some already awkward dynamics even worse?
In all honesty though, the acting is so stunning and whilst I'm still like "why is Carey Mulligan playing this part?", never have two people looked at each other with such desire to make out with each other. No really, it was palpable and so fucking tense any time they had a scene together because their characters are so clearly attracted to each other. It is legitimately excruciating but also joyous to watch. He just can't help but smile around her and he knows there's a husband in jail and he knows he shouldn't go there so he keeps a certain physical distance but he can't. not. smile and I'm just sitting there hating (loving) everything Ryan Gosling is choosing to do with his face. Because, as I was saying, this is also a film about how Ryan Gosling has a face.
Which is what complicates my feelings towards the film. And I still can't decide if it's intentional. I STILL DON'T KNOW. Which I guess is a good thing. People come and talk about it with me because, feelings.
Right, so now that's out of the way, let's get down to this. I have a lot of problems in term of politics with this film but, I also really fucking loved it. I knew going in it was going to be problematic so I guess I was prepared for that? But I also wasn't expecting to have such a visceral enjoyment of it? And I really did and that is what I find so surprising?
I mean, so much of it is the worst in terms of my personal feelings because hi, the ladies aren't exactly anything to write home about and there is some awkward Jewish ish which, in construction is so interesting but may well be accidental? Which is really I think my biggest problem because this film is, at least that is how I saw it, a film about how this guy, the Driver is an okay guy who is also sort of a sociopath? It is about how bad people can do good things even if their morals are screwed, but I honestly don't know if that's how it was meant. Which, death of the author why do I care? only I do. I personally feel that the film is constructed to show how bad people can do good things. I also think that by casting Ryan, there was a definite address in what we expect extreme violence to look like, who we expect it to be perpetrated by? Making this textually horrific person look like Ryan Gosling was about making the unpalatable a surprise because it comes wrapped up looking like him. So much of the tension and surprise is derived from the fact that this is a quiet, seemingly gentle, good-lucking dude who sometimes drives getaway cars, flips when pushed and goes too far. He doesn't carry a gun, and he doesn't get involved. But there is also this twisted, horrific rage in him and is so easily let out and it is abhorrent. See: THAT ELEVATOR SCENE. The best of all scenes. Because that kiss is all about the moment, that this is the last possible moment that she can see him as a good person and so if he doesn't kiss her now, he can never do it. And then he turns and he disarms the dude, but then it gets out of control, he gets out of control. It deliberately positions him as someone who is attractive, who is capable of feeling who mere seconds later beats a man to a pulp. Literally.
Aesthetically it is everything I love. It's got this weird 1980s homage thing - I mean look at the fucking font of the poster, it's neon pink fake handwriting last seen in 1987 and it's hilarious but also wonderful. The soundtrack is also very synth-heavy in an 80s-esque way and that's just beautiful. The direction is just, it is absolutely stunning although I think most of the props here go to the director of photography. Seriously, fuck me, I haven't seen such a beautiful job with light in ages; as I said to Elyssa, I could kiss the DOP. There is just such creative use of light and negative space and shadows cast and I actually cannot. There's a shot to the end of the film that is just the shadows and I, it was such a wonderful creative choice. What I really loved is that Refn made a very conscious decision to keep us distant, to keep the audience separate from the action on screen - only using close up on moments to make you feel uncomfortable. There's also a fair bit of slow motion which is possibly my least favourite film technique ever but it was used so well here. The things we got in slow motion were designed to counterpoint each other and it was stunning. In particular the elevator scene, it was such a release of tension followed by such extreme violence, and by using slow motion it was intended to keep you absolutely in the moment, so that you couldn't look away.
I'm also just fascinated with the construction of it, I've not read the book it's based on so I honestly don't know how it compares, but it was just so well paced. And it's a movie with such a small amount of dialogue that it means it really falls on the actors to make it good. They chose really fucking well in Ryan Gosling. I sometimes forget how stunningly talented I think he is, and then something like this happens and I'm like
oh
that is how you do acting
Especially because so much of this film rides on his face, there's no dialogue to cushion the blow. His character is reluctant to talk so it's filled with conversational silence but so much is being communicated just in the way he holds himself and uses his face. (Secretly what this film is all about is the fact that Ryan Gosling has a face.) There is this amazing still quality to him in this film and it says so much.
Carey was good, she was always bound to be, but the fact that the role was for a Latina actress and she ended up being cast completely coloured the film for me. Because in all honesty making Irene white made some already awkward dynamics even worse?
In all honesty though, the acting is so stunning and whilst I'm still like "why is Carey Mulligan playing this part?", never have two people looked at each other with such desire to make out with each other. No really, it was palpable and so fucking tense any time they had a scene together because their characters are so clearly attracted to each other. It is legitimately excruciating but also joyous to watch. He just can't help but smile around her and he knows there's a husband in jail and he knows he shouldn't go there so he keeps a certain physical distance but he can't. not. smile and I'm just sitting there hating (loving) everything Ryan Gosling is choosing to do with his face. Because, as I was saying, this is also a film about how Ryan Gosling has a face.
Which is what complicates my feelings towards the film. And I still can't decide if it's intentional. I STILL DON'T KNOW. Which I guess is a good thing. People come and talk about it with me because, feelings.