Drive
“Drive”(2011)
****1/2
Cast: Ryan Gosling (Driver), Carey Mulligan (Irene), Bryan Cranston (Shannon), Albert Brooks (Bernie Ross), Christina Hendricks (Blance), Ron Perlman (Nino). (R) Running time: 100 minutes. Director: Nicolas Winding Refn.Â
Ryan Gosling is just known as ”˜Driver”', a stunt driver on Hollywood movie sites. At night, he”'s a getaway expert for robbers. Gosling”'s double life reminds me of Andreas Lust”'s double life as marathon runner-bank robber in the German film “The Robber”(2010).
Driver works with Shannon (Bryan Cranston), a mechanic and convinces a gangster, Bernie Ross (Albert Brooks), to back Driver with a race car. Meanwhile, Bernie”'s crime buddy Nino (Ron Perlman) isn”'t convinced though about buying driver the race car. After all, it”'s usually the case in crime movies when one or more guys are suspicious of another criminal on the other side of the fence.
Driver”'s neighbor is sweet Irene Carey (Carey Mulligan) with a small son, Benicio (Kaden Leos), anticipating her husband, Standard (Oscar Issac), will get out of jail. When he gets out of jail, the criminals come after him for money he owes them. The criminals threaten Standard”'s family unless he does a job for them. Driver provides the getaway car. By now what seems like a piece of cake abruptly becomes mayhem and bloodshed for Driver who”'s trying to protect Standard, Irene and Benicio and by the same token vanquish his antagonists.
Fine acting by a smooth but deadly Gosling, a refined Mulligan, a juicy Brooks and a professional killer Perlman. Stylistic, high-octane crime film with finesse by Refn.
“Fright Night”(2011)
***1/2
Cast: Colin Farrell (Jerry Dandrige), Anton Yelchin (Charley Brewster), Toni Collette (Jane Brewster), Imogen Poots (Amy Peterson), Dave Franco (Mark), Sandra Vergara (Ginger), grace Phipps (Bee) Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Evil Ed Thompson). (PG-13) Running time:120 minutes. Director: Craig Gillespie. The vampire lives next door and it”'s up to one young man Charley Brewser (Alton Yelchin) to convince his mother Jane Brewster (Toni Collette) and his girlfriend Amy Peterson (Imogen Poots). When the new neighbor Jerry Danddrige (Colin Farrell) moves in next door he appears to be a nice guy but Charley”'s wary of the handsome stud. Jerry seems to have everybody fooled except Charley and maybe his buddy Ed /Evil Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse).
“Fright Night” based on Tom Holland”'s 1985 horror “Fright Night”, pushing the humor more than in the original film. Colin Farrell as the vampire does the horror genre justice. Former Doctor Who David Tennant plays Peter Vincent, a self serving, rather effeminate magician, wearing leather pants, putting on a nightly occult act at a Las Vegas casino. He later becomes Charley”'s ally against the vampire.
Charley”'s worries something dangerous is happening in Jerry”'s house. He manages to get inside the house while Jerry is out. What the high school senior finds there is shocking: young women in jails, victims of Jerry”'s
Entertaining as well as bring some fireworks back to the nadir of the current horror genre.
