Movie Description

Drive is a 2011 American action drama film directed by Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn. The screenplay, written by Hossein Amini, is based on James Sallis' 2005 novel Drive. The film stars Ryan Gosling as an unnamed Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver. He quickly grows fond of his neighbor, Irene (Carey Mulligan), and her young son, Benicio. When her debt-ridden husband, Standard (Oscar Isaac), is released from prison, the two men take part in what turns out to be a botched million-dollar heist that endangers the lives of everyone involved. Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, and Albert Brooks play supporting roles.

Producers Marc Platt and Adam Siegel optioned Sallis's 2005 novel, after Siegel read a review from Publishers Weekly. Adapting the book proved to be challenging for Amini, as it had a nonlinear narrative. Gosling, one of Platt's top casting choices, eventually signed on for the lead, as he wanted to star in an action-oriented project. Gosling played a pivotal role in the film's production, which included hiring Refn as director and Beth Mickle as production designer. Newton Thomas Sigel oversaw the principal photography, which started on September 25, 2010, was shot on location in various parts of Los Angeles, and ended on November 12.

Before its September 2011 release, Drive had been shown at a number of film festivals, including the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. Refn won the festival's Best Director Award. The film received widespread praise for its direction, performances, visuals, action sequences, and musical score. However, some critics were appalled by its graphic violence and found that potentially detrimental to the film's box office success. Several critics listed Drive as one of the best films of 2011, as well as the National Board of Review. Its honors included being nominated for Best Sound Editing in the 84th Academy Awards.