Drive ***

Nicolas Winding Refn directed this Drama. Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks, Oscar Isaac, Albert Brooks. Rated R for strong brutal bloody violence, language and some nudity. Running time is one hour and forty minutes.

A Hollywood stunt driver (Ryan Gosling) who moonlights as a getaway driver-for-hire finds himself a target for some of LA's most dangerous men after agreeing to aid the husband of his beautiful neighbor (Carey Mulligan).

This certainly wasn't what I expected and I think you'll be surprised also. I thought it would be a fast paced, non-stop action film. Instead it's a very slowly paced film with acting so laconic as to approach stupor. There are some driving scenes but they are few and far between. What there is,  unexpectedly, amidst the desultory acting, are brief scenes of extreme brutality that may cause many to cringe. They remind me of something the late Sam Peckinpah would have made. It's not that I don't think this is a good film, I do...but it's one where I'd have to know you well  before Id suggest you see it. What I liked is that it's different, without a cookie cutter plot where you can see the ending coming a mile away.

A large screen isn't necessary since there's really not much action. And, there are a couple of places where you might appreciate having a little lower quality sound (have you ever heard a skull being crushed?). There are no extra scenes once the credits start. Theatres/Times.