Iffy for 17+
Crime drama is exciting, well-made, and shockingly violent.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this superbly made crime drama (which won the prestigious Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival) starts off quietly but eventually contains shocking amounts of violence, including a woman's head getting blown apart by a shotgun blast and the main character stomping a man's head until it squashes like a pumpkin. Language is also very strong, with multiple uses of "f--k," "s--t," and "p---y." Several women are topless in one long scene, and the two main characters have a romantic relationship even though she's already married. The main character is a criminal without many redeeming qualities, but he's still fascinating.
- Families can talk about the impact of the movie's extreme violence. How does it compare to what you see in horror movies? Which is more upsetting? Why?
- Is the main character a "hero"? Are viewers meant to find him sympathetic even though he's a criminal? What makes "bad guy" characters compelling?
- What is the movie's attitude toward women? What are the female characters like? Are they three-dimensional?
- Is the little boy in this movie ever in true danger, or is the danger only suggested? What's the difference?
The good stuff
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Messages: "The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry" seems to the best way to describe the movie's message, such that it is, and it's not very hopeful. The main character upsets his stripped-down, carefully planned life and opens his heart just a bit but finds that it results in nothing but pain and violence.
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Role models: The main character leads a life of crime, and his only good deed involves more crime. He also falls in love with a married woman, and all of his actions result in violence.
What to watch for
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Violence: This movie starts off slowly and quietly, but soon there are astonishing amounts of bloody, gory, shocking violence. A woman's head is blown off with a shotgun. The main character beats up a man and stomps on his head until it squashes like a pumpkin. He slaps and threatens a woman. He also threatens a man with a claw hammer and a bullet. Also slicing and stabbing, shooting, murders, and characters beaten up and bloodied. A small boy isn't exactly shown to be in danger, but in one scene, he displays a bullet that some bad guys have given him as a warning.
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Sex: Two or three topless women are on view for a long time during a nightclub scene. The main characters kiss, even though the woman is already married. Some minor flirting and/or innuendo.
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Language: The main character doesn't swear, but other characters do frequently, using words like "f--k," "s--t," "p---y," "a--hole," "hell," and more. Characters also use the middle finger gesture and racial slurs like "chink" and "kike."
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Consumerism: Some products appear or are mentioned as background. A Coca-Cola sign is shown more than once in a pizza parlor. A scene takes place at a Denny's restaurant, and the name of the character's car, a Chevy Impala, is mentioned several times over a police scanner.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: The main character doesn't drink or smoke, but supporting characters are occasionally seen smoking cigarettes or drinking socially. One key character mentions several types of drugs -- offering them to the main character -- but they're never shown.
Fan Reviews provided by
4
Drive: B+ by MattH306
An awkward start, but the movie kept growing on me.
5
Best film of 2011 - Ryan Gosling is amazing by eastofdurango
This film was expertly directed, cast, acted, and shot - the lighting, music, and character development is excellent.
I went to this movie not knowing the full scope of its plot thinking it was a basic "action film" and was surprised by the level of depth and emotion brought to the screen.
The only thing I didn't like was the very brutal and graphic violence - it was shocking and not my "cup of tea" but I was able to "handle it" due to the incredible impact this film had on me in that it was a movie that did not overstate anything. The dialogue, or lack thereof, drew me into the movie and was a welcome relief from so many in-you-face movies.
This is an intelligent movie that gives the viewer credit for knowing what the characters are thinking and feeling without having to state it.
Ryan Gosling is totally amazing and real and every one else in the movie was perfectly cast.
1
All hype by _PHOENIX_
The Good: The directing is great, as was the car chase scenes.
So-So: The plot had potential but never developed into anything.
The Bad: When I left the theater I felt I wasted my time and money. Gosselin has a few lines. He finally speaks a line 20 minutes into the movie, and besides starring at people he really does nothing through most of it. The bad guys are not intimidating and have this attitude ok I will kill you because I have to. The script...enough said.
Overall opinion: I was not impressed. There was a lot of nasty gore and a single nude scene. Between the 80s porno music on 3 or 4 occasions that lasted a few minutes and the terrible script, this seemed like nothing more than a low budget movie you would mistakenly rent because it looked good. The hardest part was not walking out of the theater. Save your money, this movie is all hype.
I almost always agree with the opinion of reviewers here, but this movie I totally disagree, it was flat-out AWFUL.
1
See this only if you like Art Films by morlights
This is an art film... I was very annoyed with the false trailor.
1
This movie sucks by ryandrake
Unless you want to stare awkwardly at Gosling while he doesn't speak, don't go.
5
My heart pounded and my nerves shook! This will not translate well to DVD! by Nacho Baggo
You must see this in the theaters. The tension, the schemes, the deals gone bad, and even the mysterious silence flooded my senses and kept me glued to teh screen. Ryan Gosling is confident and sharp. His love interest, played by Carey Mulligan from AN EDUCATION, chamred her way to him and myself in 10 words or less! Her eyes and smile are awesome.
No flaws. This is a fantastic and disturbing action thriller with the best marraige of music to film that I have seen since JUNO and O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU.
February's award season will keep this cast busy with interviews!
Worth full price and I guarantee you a lengthy water cooler commentary for many days.
2
Terrible!!! by cielilund
Guess the celebs needed some extra cash....too violent, too many slow spots....my husband suggested we see this movie...he is now flagged from picking movies!!! Ugh!
5
A human being, and A real hero by jmskinner
Enjoy it as it is. This movie has a brain. It is more than just stunts and car chases, but the audence needs more than eyes to see it. They need a brain too, If you watch this movie expecting to see a Fast and Furious type of movie you are going to be dissapointed becasuse you wont appreciate this movie for what it is. Not everything is on the surface ready to be spoonfed to the audience, but its there in the subtext. The driver might not say alot but then again, neither did Clint Eastwood. He is not played by chuck norris, he is played by someone who can act: Ryan Gosling. He is cool under pressure and mysterious, but what he does best is drive. His line between legal and illegal is a little blurred but he draws a fine line between right and wrong. When evil threatens he strikes out to protect those that he cares for.
What is really unique about this movie is how close it plays to reality and for someone tired of seeing typical hollywood trash, this is something fresh
2
Waited for this movie to get better...never happened! by linouye
If you are going to see this then Redbox it for $1...don't pay any more than that! I will warn you that it is pain to sit through.
4
Pretty good, sort of slow by brocktoon
had a very 1980's feel to the movie so I am pretty sure that was intentional, though the setting was present day. Not a whole lot of wasted scenes, which I like. Was not balls to the wall action, and while Albert Brooks did play a character out of his type cast, he really was not in the movie all that much, so you really don't develop any sort of hatred towards him.