MOVIE OF THE WEEK/OSCAR WATCH: Drive

"Drive" is a slick, cool film by Nicolas Winding Refn that could potentially become a classic. Although the violence was off-putting at times, the film had a great style to it, from the groovy soundtrack to the cinematography to the costuming. This is really a star vehicle (no pun intended) for Ryan Gosling, which seemed to elevate Carey Mulligan’s performance through some insane chemistry. His chilling performance should make him a serious contender for a Best Actor nomination. Mulligan could definitely ride some of his Oscar buzz and earn a nomination, but it’s a long shot. Albert Brooks also shines in a fairly small role timewise and a Best Supporting Actor nomination is a definite possibility. The film was surprisingly short and straightforward (I wanted more!), which may hurt its screenplay chances. Hence, I think the new Oscar rules could benefit this film, as it should definitely land lots of #1 votes. Assuming the score is eligible, the film could be looking at nods for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Score. I haven’t seen many notices from the major pundits, but I thought the editing was fantastic, so I think a nod for Best Editing is on the cards too.

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