A Shiny Car, But What's Under the Hood? A Review of 'Drive'

I didn't know what a "Nicolas Winding Refn film" even meant when I went to see "Drive" last weekend, and don't like reading reviews before seeing movies if I can avoid it. But it was obvious from the buzz (and the cool pink lettering on the poster!) that it meant this wasn't just a "Fast and the Furious" knockoff with Ryan Gosling standing in for Paul Walker. Indeed, I was right. "Drive" is pure cool, probably the coolest film I've seen since "American Gigolo" back in 1980. In short, Gosling (adorable as ever, but whose introverted, 10-second-delay-before-he-says-anything persona is starting to show signs of wear) plays getaway driver to a heist, but things quickly get complicated. There's a girl, of course -- in this case Carey Mulligan, whose appearance is so similar to Michelle Williams' in "Blue Valentine" that it was almost distracting at times -- and a bag o' money and all the usual things that come along with these situations. I'm glad I saw "Drive": Los Angeles has never looked more shiny and new (and neon!) and the extended scenes set to Euro-synth music played out like the movie I'd envisioned I'd someday make myself as a teen set to Blondie's "Europa." But like "American Gigolo," I left the theater feeling like I'd just eaten a lot of cotton candy, which was beautiful and tasty while you consumed it, but ultimately leaves me feeling hungry as I exited the door. My grade: B