Before the world embraced his Kenergy in Barbie, many would have said that Ryan Gosling's most iconic movie was probably Drive. Nicolas Winding Refn's 2013 flick is a darling of cinema fans everywhere, and for good reason.
Unfortunately, however, you'll need to put your foot down to catch it on Netflix, because it's leaving the streaming service on the 4th of January. That's not long to enjoy a movie with a deserved 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Drive is a brilliantly unique movie that combines some amazingly shot car chases, a burning romance, and some unflinchingly horrible violence. It often goes a long time without dialogue, relying instead on the superb soundtrack. If you've seen The Killer on Netflix, there are plenty of parallels to be drawn, and both feature unnamed protagonists. So what's it about?
Based on the 2005 novel by James Sallis, Gosling plays the anonymous driver, a Hollywood stunt driver who responsibly has a side hustle to supplement his income. Unlike freelance journalism or selling homemade trinkets online, his side gig is being a getaway driver. However, when Irene (Carey Mulligan) moves in next door and his feelings start developing, things soon get more complicated.
I won't say much more to avoid spoilers but it's a superb action drama with some complex characters. Luckily a host of incredible actors are on hand to give them weight. Alongside Gosling and Mulligan are the likes of Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Oscar Isaac, Albert Brooks and Ron Pearlman.
Unusually, Ryan Gosling was given the chance to choose a director for this picture and Refn proved to be a brilliantly unorthodox selection. The Danish filmmaker has an eclectic filmography including Bronson, The Neon Demon and bizarrely an upcoming remake of Enid Blyton's The Famous Five. Hopefully, that will be more family-friendly.
If you're after a bunch of great titles to watch, check out our Christmas and New Year streaming guide for a bunch of top picks.
