The actor premieres ‘The Specialist’ this weekend, but his best role was already embodying that profession.
Nowadays, it is quite difficult to find a name more recognizable than that of Ryan Gosling in the field of interpretation. Nominated by the Academy up to three times, for a long time it was said of him that “he always played the same role.” But in reality, with a brief review of his filmography, it is possible to verify that he is the Hollywood figure who has tried the most to innovate in your records, participating in comedies, dramatic biopics, science fiction or even musicals. Now and after the success of last year of Barbiethe Canadian is once again at the top of the billboard thanks to the premiere of The specialist. An action story in which, precisely, he once again demonstrates that versatility so characteristic of his work. However, this role as a stunt double has made us remember another of his film adventures. The cult film by Nicolas Winding Refn that made him a stylistic and acting reference: Drive.
Adapting the novel of the same name by James Sallis, Drive It was the first box office success (and surely the last) of the Danish filmmaker’s career. A project that generated quite a stir since its commercial trailer, for which it was denounced by a viewer who claimed to have been deceived with the film’s promotional material. The preview seen by this complainant more or less sold Refn’s work as a story of non-stop action, in the purest style of Fast & Furious. Nothing is further from reality, Drive it’s a slow neo-noir in which the characters only speak when they have something to say and where excessive explanations are not given to the audience. Even with everything and, despite not being a title at all commercial, its cast full of familiar faces led it to really work on the 2011 billboard. Boosted by good reviews from the specialized press and starting from 15 million dollars of budget, ended up reaping almost 80 million. A somewhat astonished and unique result within independent cinema.
‘Drive’: the violent specialist
As its name indicates, in The specialist, Gosling plays a stuntman who, due to his various accidents, is practically at the end of his career. A profession shared with the protagonist of Drivebut that perfectly stage the night and day in terms of genre, tone and narrative purpose.
In David Leitch’s latest proposal, the role is deeply comic, facing the investigation of a missing actor, a conspiracy and, in the process, recovering the love of his life. In Drivehe nameless antihero, works in the workshop and as a driving specialist for filming in Los Angeles. Although well, at night he is also an infallible driver for robberies and robberies. The official synopsis of this feature film FilmDistrict is the next:
«During the day, ‘the driver’ (Gosling) works in a workshop and is a stunt driver for movies, but, some nights sporadically, he works as a driver for criminals. Shannon, his boss, is well aware of his talent behind the wheel and he is also looking for film and television directors and criminals who need a getaway driver. However, his world begins to change when he meets Irene, a neighbor with a son and a husband in prison.
Gosling is far from the only star Refn got for this story. The cast has such well-known faces as Carey Mulligan, Ron Perlman, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Oscar Isaac and Albert Brooks, nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor.
A monstrous beauty
Don’t look in Drive the typical story archetype in Refn’s work. This is surely his most rounded work and in part, it has a lot to do with the fact that he himself did not touch the script of Sallis’s adaptation. In the film, there are several elements that go in harmony to narrate this kind of dark fairy tale version. Where violence is filmed, under previous moments to an almost bucolic beauty.
The photography of Newton Thomas Sigel, added to a soundtrack selected by Cliff Martinez through unforgettable themes such as those of Kavinskythey achieve that in just over an hour and a half Drive stays lodged in our brain. Above all, for its cool styling and existential vision. Yes, after watching it you will want to drive at night with her music playing in the background.
Currently it is only available for purchase on the Apple TV + platform and in physical format.
