Mike86

I'm sure I'll get crap for saying this but I agree with him honestly. I wanted to like this film but it just seemed like it was trying too hard with it's over the top style of violence. I'm not one to be bothered by violence in movies when it serves a purpose but this movie just seemed like it was doing it because it could. Like the director was getting off on the violence or something it was just weird to me. I agree with Maltin in that this movie felt like it was going for a lot of arty moments but the story just seemed weak. I don't really understand why so many people are in love with the film I guess.

The thing that's disappointing to me is like movies like this generally. I like throwback type films to different eras and I liked the cast of the movie quite a bit. I like Albert Brooks and I liked the fact that Bryan Cranston was given a decent role in this and Gosling is growing on me but the movie just didn't work for me.

OldBoy

fucking wow!

CloverClover

it might be one of those films that when it comes on video and people see it on the smaller screens it doesnt have as much impact. happens once in a while

foofighters7

Leonard Maltin has always seemed like the Mr. Rogers of the critic world. Have never taken him seriously as a critic.

If anything his review looks the the drivel of someone who didn't pay close enough attention to the performance of Gosling. His review makes himself, not Gosling's character, seem a bit dim. If he, as a critic, cannot build conclusions based on the actions of a character and instead needs it spoon fed to him, he should retire. So Gosling's character doesn't speak a great deal therefore I guess that means he's stupid and shallow and the character is unbelievable?
Maltin makes himself seem rather foolish. He almost sounds like a regular film illiterate movie goer who gets angry and confused when the whole story isn't laid at their feet. How is he a good fighter? "I want to know", screams Leonard Maltin, the man without an imagination. I suppose if they had a sequence that showed The Driver as a kid being trained by Bruce Lee, he would have been more sympathetic.

Leonard Maltin, white bread eating morons of the world salute you.

riotinmyskull

i don't think i'm coming back to this thread anymore.

Solid Snake

This thread just died a little w/ Maltin.

islandclaws

Such as? I honestly don't see how anything that happened is confusing; it's fairly straight forward.

rexinnih

Just saw this last night. Very good movie in my opinion. Gosling was surprisingly good and I'll view his future performances differently.

Strevlac

I don't see how people don't recognise that there is nothing to these characters...any of them. This is the easiest kind of film to make: a few sad-eyed "soulful" characters, throw in lots of violence, teen-angst emo pop music. That's all there is. Albert Brooks is fun to watch but he's a cartooon character stuck in a terrible movie.

You guys like it because you project yourselves onto the Gosling character, fantasizing about yourselves as sensitive souls who save cute single moms by cracking heads, all to the tune of "A Real Hero". It's laughable.

OldBoy

yes...you are exactly right. i project bashing a man's face over and over til its a bloody pulp with my foot. yes, i do.

PopcornTreeCt

I don't know if anyone noticed but it's 93% on Rotten Tomatoes so if someone didn't like it, that's fine, but arguing against the majority is just silly.

islandclaws

Not sure what movie you watched. Mine had a fucking killer soundtrack.

Strevlac

90% of the "critics" on Rotten Tomatoes are 20-something, male, apartment dwelling internet bloggers who don't know all that much about cinema history (or any art for that matter).

The rest are published critics, most of whom don't want to go too far against the tide of internet opinion lest they find themselves ostracized or out of a job.

Strevlac

Well, as long as it had a "fucking killer soundtrack".

foofighters7

This might be the dumbest post I have seen in awhile.

Yeah, and I love Psycho because I so wanna be Norman.

Oh and I love Taxi Driver because I really wanna live a shitty life like Travis Bickle.

I loved The Bicycle Thief because I wanna be the guy running around looking for my stolen bike.

Oh and my wife listed it as her #1 movie of the year too.

So, my friend, is she projecting herself as The Driver too?

Hokeyboy

Never read a Donald Westlake novel. You're likely to shit a basketball.

ultimaton

Saw this last night. My wife and I both really, really enjoyed it. Either it was a good movie or we both projected ourselves into the role of the Driver and have the same fantasy of rescuing a single mom while cracking skulls to the tune of "a real hero." You decide.

My Other Self

I fantasize about driving around LA as smooth as Gosling does so I guess I don't really like the movie, just the fantasy of being able to maneuver in a densely populated area with such ease.

Is Drive going to be "cool to hate" now? Has it taken over for The Dark Knight?

Strevlac

Of course, all of those films had something going for them other than adolescent macho "existentialism", so there's your explanation.

Strevlac

Donald Westlake novels had dialogue. They also had some wit and humor.

foofighters7

I think you're just complaining for the sake of it.

Adolescent macho existentialism?

Did you even see the film?

Dr Mabuse

And celebrates Maltin no less...

Fellas we have us a serious student of film right here.

bluetoast

Maltin gets a pass for his Disney stuff and especially for Disney Treasures up and running, but yeah I don't read his reviews either.

Rival11

This is one of the best movies I have ever seen......and I don't say that lightly. The direction is off the fucking hook (that shadow scene anyone....how f'n cool was that?...took some balls to do that as well).

What a fucking shocker for me - I was expecting a kick ass almost all they way up to the mid-point film but I got a kick ass classic instead. Whatever DVD Talk reviewer said Gosling was like De Niro was dead on and I couldn't stop making the comparisons throughout - even though De Niro's performance in let's say Taxi Driver was obviously better...Gosling pulls off the tough feat of having to be brilliant by doing nothing task - not an easy thing to do.

The violence weirdly enough just really fit into the film and while it had flow it was still shocking.

I'm sure I will have more to say about this flick soon and I am going to watch it again tonight.

Really loved the shit out of this one - just so well made.

DonnachaOne

Pay no heed to Strevlac. He posts only to be contrary and seldom has anything original to say. Discussion is best when he's just ignored. -notrolls-