There’s been very little hype for Nicolas Winding Refn’s new film, Drive. The movie – which stars Ryan Gosling as a stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals – has one of those taglines you could easily confuse with a hundred other films and/or video games, not to mention a title so generic that the average person could easily confuse with another film (most likely the Nic Cage campfest, Drive Angry). Let me clarify: This movie is based on the book by James Sallis, and NOT the popular video game Driver – in case you were wondering.
In fact, if you try to look up Drive on IMDb, you’ll be forced to pick out Refn’s film from a lineup of twenty-five other projects sporting the same name. To say the film is a lap behind in the marketing lane, would be understatement.
However, in the business of movie marketing and promotion, fortunes can change in the span of two minutes (just ask Green Lantern about that 😉 ). Today we have the first (you guessed it) two-minute clip from Drive, which is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this month. The clip features a scene where Gosling’s wheelman is on the job, helping two crooks make their escape from a crime scene.
The footage paints a picture of a character-driven film that will be heavy on tension and atmosphere, and seemingly less reliant on over the top action – a la that aforementioned Drive Angry movie. Check out the clip below, courtesy of Cannes Official Website:
CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW CLIP
If you liked that clip but are unfamiliar with Refn’s work, the Danish filmmaker is responsible for notable films like Bronson, which catapulted Inception and Dark Knight Rises actor Tom Hardy to star status, as well as the bloody (but enjoyable) Viking flick, Valhalla Rising.
The cast Refn has assembled for Drive has been the strongest selling point of the film (before this clip, that is). That cast includes Academy Award nominee Gosling in the lead, alongside fellow Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan, Mad Men goddess Christina Hendricks, Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston (a Golden Globe nominee and multiple Emmy Award-winner), and even Hellboy himself, Ron Perlman. So while the title and plot synopsis of Drive might not be all that distinct, the talent involved (and certainly the clip above) tell a different tale: that this cops and robbers flick will be anything but cliche and forgettable.
As stated, Drive will premiere at Cannes this month. The film is currently slated for release on September 16, 2011 in the U.S. – which normally isn’t a good sign, since that month is typically used as a “dumping ground” for bad films. Then again, Ben Affleck’s cops and robbers flick The Town premiered on September 17th last year – and I thought that film was fantastic. Hopefully, Drive will leave a similar impression.
