#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE
Upon its release in 2011, Drive, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, was a critical darling that polarized general audiences. It transitioned from a prestigious festival hit to a cult sensation, though it faced a minor backlash due to how it was marketed to the public.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the film's reception at the time:
1. The Cannes Premiere and "Directorial Triumph"
Drive made its world premiere at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. The most significant mark of its early success was Nicolas Winding Refn winning the Best Director award. Critics at the festival praised the film for its "European sensibility" applied to an American "B-movie" framework. It was immediately hailed as a modern neo-noir masterpiece, drawing comparisons to the work of Michael Mann (specifically Thief) and Jean-Pierre Melville (Le Samouraï).
2. Critical Consensus: Style and Substance
Critics were largely enamored with the film's aesthetic and restrained storytelling. Key areas of praise included:
- Ryan Gosling's Performance: Critics noted his minimalist, almost silent performance. He was praised for conveying emotion through glances and posture rather than dialogue.
- Albert Brooks' Casting: One of the most talked-about aspects was comedian Albert Brooks playing the villainous Bernie Rose. Critics found his performance terrifying because it subverted his "lovable loser" persona, and many felt he was snubbed for an Oscar nomination.
- The Soundtrack: The synth-pop score by Cliff Martinez and the inclusion of tracks like Kavinsky's "Nightcall" and College's "A Real Hero" were revolutionary for the time. Critics credited the film with revitalizing interest in 1980s electronic aesthetics (the "Retrowave" movement).
- Cinematography: Newton Thomas Sigel was praised for the "neon-soaked" Los Angeles visuals, which many felt turned the city into a character of its own.
3. The "Marketing Disconnect" and Audience Backlash
While critics loved the film (it held a high score on Rotten Tomatoes, usually in the low 90s), general audiences were more divided. This was largely due to the theatrical trailer, which marketed Drive as a high-octane action film in the vein of The Fast and the Furious.
- Pacing Issues: Unsuspecting viewers were often frustrated by the film's slow, meditative pacing and long silences.
- The Lawsuit: In a famous piece of trivia from the time, a woman in Michigan filed a lawsuit against the studio, claiming the trailer was "misleading" because the film contained very little actual driving and was instead a slow-burn character study.
- Violence: Many viewers were shocked by the sudden, graphic outbursts of violence (notably the "elevator scene"), which contrasted sharply with the film's otherwise romantic and quiet tone.
4. Awards Season and the "Snub"
Despite the critical fervor, Drive had a relatively quiet awards season. While it received several BAFTA nominations and a Golden Globe nod for Albert Brooks, it was famously "snubbed" at the Academy Awards. It received only one Oscar nomination for Best Sound Editing. This omission caused significant outcry among film critics and fans who felt Gosling, Brooks, and Refn deserved recognition in the major categories.
5. Summary of Media Sentiment
- Rolling Stone (Peter Travers): Gave it a glowing review, calling it a "pure blast of cinematic oxygen."
- Roger Ebert: Gave it 4 out of 4 stars, praising the film's respect for "traditional" filmmaking and its ability to build tension through silence.
- Common Critiques: The few negative reviews usually focused on the film being "style over substance," with some critics arguing that the graphic violence was gratuitous or that the Driver was too "blank" of a character.
In conclusion, Drive was received as a stylistic triumph that solidified Ryan Gosling's status as a leading man and Nicolas Winding Refn as a major international auteur, even if it alienated mainstream audiences expecting a standard action movie.
#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)
[1] The film received a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes but a C- CinemaScore, indicating critical acclaim but audience division.
[2] Multiple sources reference positive reception at Cannes, though specific mention of standing ovation varies.
[3] Nicolas Winding Refn won the Best Director Award at the 64th Cannes Film Festival in 2011.
[4] Reviews characterize the film's approach as European sensibility applied to genre framework, though exact phrasing varies.
[5] Multiple reviews explicitly compare Drive to Michael Mann's Thief and Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï.
[6] Critics widely praised Gosling's minimalist performance and his ability to convey emotion non-verbally.
[7] Albert Brooks' against-type performance was highly praised; he received a Golden Globe nomination but no Oscar nomination, widely considered a snub.
[8] The soundtrack featuring Cliff Martinez's score and tracks by Kavinsky and College was widely praised and influential.
[9] Newton Thomas Sigel was the cinematographer and the neon-soaked visuals of Los Angeles were widely praised.
[10] Drive holds a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 270 reviews.
[11] Audiences gave the film a C- CinemaScore, indicating significant division and disappointment despite critical acclaim.
[12] The lawsuit specifically mentioned that the trailer marketed Drive as similar to Fast and Furious.
[13] The C- CinemaScore and audience reviews indicate frustration with the film's slow pacing contrary to trailer expectations.
[14] Sarah Deming filed a lawsuit in Michigan claiming the trailer was misleading, stating the film had little driving and was a slow-burn character study.
[15] The elevator scene and other violent moments were noted as shocking and contrasting with the film's quieter romantic tone.
[16] Drive received four BAFTA nominations and Albert Brooks received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
[17] Drive received only one Oscar nomination for Best Sound Editing at the 84th Academy Awards.
[18] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave Drive 4 out of 4 stars and praised it highly.
[19] The specific quote 'pure blast of cinematic oxygen' attributed to Peter Travers could not be verified in available sources, though he did call it 'a brilliant piece of nasty business.'
[20] Roger Ebert gave Drive 3.5 out of 4 stars, not 4 out of 4 stars. He named it his 7th favorite film of 2011.
[21] Ebert's review did praise the film's craftsmanship and use of silence, though exact quote may be paraphrased.
[22] Negative reviews cited style over substance and gratuitous violence as common criticisms.
Upon its release in 2011, *Drive*, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, was a critical darling that polarized general audiences. It transitioned from a prestigious festival hit to a cult sensation, though it faced a minor backlash due to how it was marketed to the public.
Here is a detailed breakdown of the film's reception at the time:
### 1. The Cannes Premiere and "Directorial Triumph"
*Drive* made its world premiere at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. The most significant mark of its early success was **Nicolas Winding Refn winning the Best Director award**. Critics at the festival praised the film for its "European sensibility" applied to an American "B-movie" framework. It was immediately hailed as a modern neo-noir masterpiece, drawing comparisons to the work of Michael Mann (specifically *Thief*) and Jean-Pierre Melville (*Le Samouraï*).
### 2. Critical Consensus: Style and Substance
Critics were largely enamored with the film's aesthetic and restrained storytelling. Key areas of praise included:
* **Ryan Gosling's Performance:** Critics noted his minimalist, almost silent performance. He was praised for conveying emotion through glances and posture rather than dialogue.
* **Albert Brooks' Casting:** One of the most talked-about aspects was comedian Albert Brooks playing the villainous Bernie Rose. Critics found his performance terrifying because it subverted his "lovable loser" persona, and many felt he was snubbed for an Oscar nomination.
* **The Soundtrack:** The synth-pop score by Cliff Martinez and the inclusion of tracks like Kavinsky's "Nightcall" and College's "A Real Hero" were revolutionary for the time. Critics credited the film with revitalizing interest in 1980s electronic aesthetics (the "Retrowave" movement).
* **Cinematography:** Newton Thomas Sigel was praised for the "neon-soaked" Los Angeles visuals, which many felt turned the city into a character of its own.
### 3. The "Marketing Disconnect" and Audience Backlash
While critics loved the film (it held a high score on Rotten Tomatoes, usually in the low 90s), general audiences were more divided. This was largely due to the **theatrical trailer**, which marketed *Drive* as a high-octane action film in the vein of *The Fast and the Furious*.
* **Pacing Issues:** Unsuspecting viewers were often frustrated by the film's slow, meditative pacing and long silences.
* **The Lawsuit:** In a famous piece of trivia from the time, a woman in Michigan filed a lawsuit against the studio, claiming the trailer was "misleading" because the film contained very little actual driving and was instead a slow-burn character study.
* **Violence:** Many viewers were shocked by the sudden, graphic outbursts of violence (notably the "elevator scene"), which contrasted sharply with the film's otherwise romantic and quiet tone.
### 4. Awards Season and the "Snub"
Despite the critical fervor, *Drive* had a relatively quiet awards season. While it received several BAFTA nominations and a Golden Globe nod for Albert Brooks, it was famously "snubbed" at the Academy Awards. It received only **one Oscar nomination for Best Sound Editing**. This omission caused significant outcry among film critics and fans who felt Gosling, Brooks, and Refn deserved recognition in the major categories.
### 5. Summary of Media Sentiment
* **Rolling Stone (Peter Travers):** Gave it a glowing review, calling it a "pure blast of cinematic oxygen."
* **Roger Ebert:** Gave it 4 out of 4 stars, praising the film's respect for "traditional" filmmaking and its ability to build tension through silence.
* **Common Critiques:** The few negative reviews usually focused on the film being "style over substance," with some critics arguing that the graphic violence was gratuitous or that the Driver was too "blank" of a character.
In conclusion, *Drive* was received as a **stylistic triumph** that solidified Ryan Gosling's status as a leading man and Nicolas Winding Refn as a major international auteur, even if it alienated mainstream audiences expecting a standard action movie.
(Note: This summary was generated by Gemini 3.0 Flash)