ViewGuide

Created May 20, 2012 08:36AM PST • Edited May 20, 2012 08:36AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   Ryan Gosling is one cool cucumber. Stunt driver by day, getaway driver by night. A good guy down inside, with a mysterious and quiet way about him, he tries to get beyond his criminal ties when he meets his neighbor and her son. This crime thriller that doesn’t hide the brutality, but also makes reference to romance and caring. As it goes with movies like this, the action and violence tends to prevail – and the tenseness of it all will keep your undivided attention. While I wasn’t so impressed with how the story ended, watching it unfold was great, and I’m sure you’ll have a similar experience.

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   Ryan Gosling was great in this role. He didn’t talk much, but actions are stronger than words. The only time I didn’t enjoy the strong/silent schtick is when he was paired with Carey Mulligan. She herself didn’t have a big screen presence and was quiet herself – so the pairing was kind of like watching awkward teenagers. Not so sure she fit well as a criminal’s wife either.

   Albert Brooks was surprisingly good as the criminal Bernie Rose, and Ron Perlman makes an excellent brutal bad guy.

5. Male Stars Very Good 3.5

6. Female Stars Very Good 3.5

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Good 3.0

    My biggest complaint is that Ryan’s character was a bit overly mysterious — to the point where it seemed like there just wasn’t enough dialog. And did he really need to keep wearing the old bloody white scorpion jacket? The ending was a head-scratcher as well.

11. Direction Good 3.0

12. Play Good 3.0

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals Good 3.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Sordid 3.5

17. Sex Erotic 3.5

18. Violence Brutal 3.5

19. Rudeness Profane 3.5

21. Reality

    Glib 1.8

22. Circumstantial Glib 1.8

23. Biological Glib 1.8

24. Physical Glib 1.8