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[big ander]

Watched it again tonight.

I may have missed something, but it seems to me that Rosling's character should have recognized the name Nino and thus he should have told Shannon not to tell Bernie about the situation because it would lead to Nino.

I was also bugged that Shannon didn't try to defend himself. Bernie had his back turned to him. There was a perfect moment there where Shannon could have grabbed a tool from a shelf and struck Bernie over the head with it. But he just let Bernie live and shook his hand like a fool.

The Driver also turned his back to Bernie and suffered the consequences.

I mean, get with the program. This guy is a killer. He bled your friend to death and you turn your back to him? The more I think about it, this movie would have been infinitely better if Gosling's character walked into that Chinese restaurant, nodded at Bernie's spiel, and pulled a knife out and stuck him in the neck just like that. Then, smiling his little smile, he could have walked out of there with the money and gone anywhere he wanted to with Irene and Benicio.

It would have been just as good a film if it had ended that way, if not better. Plus, now I'm left wondering if the Driver is going to be okay or not. Certainly, you can survive a stab wound in your gut but you need emergency surgery lest you become septic and you will spend the rest of your life in discomfort.

ehhhhhh huge big giant nah to all of this

for one Shannon didn't know Bernie was going to murder him and he was shown the entire film to be ineffectual. I mean he's literally a cripple.

Spoiler

more importantly though: if the driver kills bernie in the restaurant he's left with the money and thus ties to the entire heist. the entire point is that he wants the guaranteed safety of irene which means as much distance from all that shit as possible. and like– he knows rose is going to try to kill him. that again is the entire point of the ending. he knows rose is going to try to kill him. that should be very obvious from the phone call and restaurant scenes. but he does it anyway because he has to take that risk for irene. if he kills rose then the mob comes after him for the cash, and then maybe after irene. if he hands the money to rose and both get wounded/dead, either the mob comes and claims their cash from rose's dead body and ignores the one escapee or the mob never gets the money because the police get on it. the money in this movie isn't a ticket to anywhere, it's a burden. it's a weight and a curse, if you have it you are going to die. he and irene wouldn't live forever buying free shit. they'd escape somewhere and then get whacked in a day. a lot of this is spelled out pretty clearly by nino and rose. this is the mob. they don't call it a day.
it would have been a considerably far far far far worse film if it ended the way you suggest. you missed that the entire thrust of the film is that driver does have to suffer those unfair consequences and he accepts it. I get that you apparently had sympathy for the character so you wanted to see him come through clean or whatever but...that's not the point. at all. in fact you're supposed to have sympathy for him precisely so those final moments of sacrifice have more weight.
and you're left wondering if he's alive? ...yeah. I keep repeating this phrase but "that's the point." Driver is a cipher and someone who can't stay in one place or be truly attached ever. it's an unfortunate part of who he is. so he leaves again, maybe out there somewhere maybe not.

overall I would say you're being almost completely blind to what makes a narrative thematically satisfying and are instead wishing that characters you liked (because the film purposefully made you like them) survived just...cause

 

[Bombadil]

ehhhhhh huge big giant nah to all of this

for one Shannon didn't know Bernie was going to murder him and he was shown the entire film to be ineffectual. I mean he's literally a cripple.

Spoiler

more importantly though: if the driver kills bernie in the restaurant he's left with the money and thus ties to the entire heist. the entire point is that he wants the guaranteed safety of irene which means as much distance from all that shit as possible. and like– he knows rose is going to try to kill him. that again is the entire point of the ending. he knows rose is going to try to kill him. that should be very obvious from the phone call and restaurant scenes. but he does it anyway because he has to take that risk for irene. if he kills rose then the mob comes after him for the cash, and then maybe after irene. if he hands the money to rose and both get wounded/dead, either the mob comes and claims their cash from rose's dead body and ignores the one escapee or the mob never gets the money because the police get on it. the money in this movie isn't a ticket to anywhere, it's a burden. it's a weight and a curse, if you have it you are going to die. he and irene wouldn't live forever buying free shit. they'd escape somewhere and then get whacked in a day. a lot of this is spelled out pretty clearly by nino and rose. this is the mob. they don't call it a day.
it would have been a considerably far far far far worse film if it ended the way you suggest. you missed that the entire thrust of the film is that driver does have to suffer those unfair consequences and he accepts it. I get that you apparently had sympathy for the character so you wanted to see him come through clean or whatever but...that's not the point. at all. in fact you're supposed to have sympathy for him precisely so those final moments of sacrifice have more weight.
and you're left wondering if he's alive? ...yeah. I keep repeating this phrase but "that's the point." Driver is a cipher and someone who can't stay in one place or be truly attached ever. it's an unfortunate part of who he is. so he leaves again, maybe out there somewhere maybe not.

overall I would say you're being almost completely blind to what makes a narrative thematically satisfying and are instead wishing that characters you liked (because the film purposefully made you like them) survived just...cause

No, I think you missed the points I made.

Driver ended up killing Bernie and leaving the money next to his corpse as a way of paying the debt to the mob and leaving.

If the film ends with that notion, then Driver could have killed Bernie in the restaurant and left the money in the same way without getting injured.

Driver was in the garage working on the car when Bernie and Nino showed up to talk about the race car Shannon had purchased. Yet when Cooke told him the money was Nino's, Driver didn't bat an eye. Why?

Driver also got into a major argument with Shannon and told him to run away because Bernie and Nino were going to kill him and Irene and Benicio and Shannon. So why do you presume that Shannon didn't know Bernie was going to kill him? Shannon obviously knew that Bernie was after him because he was planning on running away when Bernie showed up? And he seemed to be keenly aware that Bernie and Nino were after Driver when Bernie asked where he was. That's why he lied and said Mexico or Belize.

The difference between the way I view the film and the way you view the film is that you accept the irrational behavior of the characters because you think that the point is to accept the symbolism, the sacrifice. I, on the other hand, cannot accept the lack of urgency in Shannon's behavior and the willingness of the Driver to turn his back on a guy who killed the only friend he ever appeared to have.

 

[big ander]

No, I think you missed the points I made.

Driver ended up killing Bernie and leaving the money next to his corpse as a way of paying the debt to the mob and leaving.

If the film ends with that notion, then Driver could have killed Bernie in the restaurant and left the money in the same way without getting injured.

it's far more dangerous to attack him in the restaurant, and it's not like bernie couldn't have quickly retaliated too just the way Driver did.
plus Driver has a bit of a death wish. the intercutting in the restaurant/ending scene explicitly shows that Driver knows how this will play out and is fine with it. That's not necessarily "rational" average person behavior but it's wholly in line with his character.

Driver was in the garage working on the car when Bernie and Nino showed up to talk about the race car Shannon had purchased. Yet when Cooke told him the money was Nino's, Driver didn't bat an eye. Why?

what was he gonna do, look surprised? He's a largely stoic character. There's nothing to indicate that he DIDN'T make the connection. I don't see how this changes anything that happened.

Driver also got into a major argument with Shannon and told him to run away because Bernie and Nino were going to kill him and Irene and Benicio and Shannon. So why do you presume that Shannon didn't know Bernie was going to kill him? Shannon obviously knew that Bernie was after him because he was planning on running away when Bernie showed up? And he seemed to be keenly aware that Bernie and Nino were after Driver when Bernie asked where he was. That's why he lied and said Mexico or Belize.

what I meant was that Shannon knew he was in danger but there was nothing he could do about it. he was an impotent character from start to finish. it's would be inconsistent with his character for him TO try and hurt burnie. That would be irrational.

 

[Bombadil]

I hope I never watch a movie with you or anybody like you if this is how you analyze them.

It's not an analysis.

You guys hold this film a little to dearly in your hearts if some comment I make can arouse such passion. Just relax.

 

[big ander]

It's not an analysis.

You guys hold this film a little to dearly in your hearts if some comment I make can arouse such passion. Just relax.

idk where you're getting "intense passion" from. I simply like drive, definitely don't hold it in as high esteem as so many did back in 11

 

[Bombadil]

idk where you're getting "intense passion" from. I simply like drive, definitely don't hold it in as high esteem as so many did back in 11

I hope I never watch a movie with you or anybody like you if this is how you analyze them.

.

overall I would say you're being almost completely blind to what makes a narrative thematically satisfying and are instead wishing that characters you liked (because the film purposefully made you like them) survived just...cause

 

[Nappuccino]

No, I think you missed the points I made.

Driver ended up killing Bernie and leaving the money next to his corpse as a way of paying the debt to the mob and leaving.

If the film ends with that notion, then Driver could have killed Bernie in the restaurant and left the money in the same way without getting injured.

Driver was in the garage working on the car when Bernie and Nino showed up to talk about the race car Shannon had purchased. Yet when Cooke told him the money was Nino's, Driver didn't bat an eye. Why?

Driver also got into a major argument with Shannon and told him to run away because Bernie and Nino were going to kill him and Irene and Benicio and Shannon. So why do you presume that Shannon didn't know Bernie was going to kill him? Shannon obviously knew that Bernie was after him because he was planning on running away when Bernie showed up? And he seemed to be keenly aware that Bernie and Nino were after Driver when Bernie asked where he was. That's why he lied and said Mexico or Belize.

The difference between the way I view the film and the way you view the film is that you accept the irrational behavior of the characters because you think that the point is to accept the symbolism, the sacrifice. I, on the other hand, cannot accept the lack of urgency in Shannon's behavior and the willingness of the Driver to turn his back on a guy who killed the only friend he ever appeared to have.

Shannon and Bernie were friends. Shannon was skeptical and worried, but from the way the conversation was going, Shannon thought their friendship might be winning out--that bernie might let him leave alive.

 

[big ander]

.

I didn't say the first thing you quoted and don't think what you quoted of what I posted demonstrates breathless frustration, I just thought your reading was way way off. lol I'm not typing in caps and getting vehemently profane so I don't know what you're reading into all this. so if you meant to direct your comment at just that person and not "you guys" like you said then ok

 

[Bombadil]

Shannon and Bernie were friends. Shannon was skeptical and worried, but from the way the conversation was going, Shannon thought their friendship might be winning out--that bernie might let him leave alive.

I think Shannon should have realized that his relationship with Bernie was anything but a friendship. Clearly he was more of an employee, someone to be hustled and exploited. Since Bernie seemed friendly with the man who broke Shannon's hip, Shannon should have always kept his eye on Bernie. But that's not a criticism of the film.

In fact, at no point was I criticizing the film more than I was just criticizing the characters.

 

[Nappuccino]

I think Shannon should have realized that his relationship with Bernie was anything but a friendship. Clearly he was more of an employee, someone to be hustled and exploited. Since Bernie seemed friendly with the man who broke Shannon's hip, Shannon should have always kept his eye on Bernie. But that's not a criticism of the film.

In fact, at no point was I criticizing the film more than I was just criticizing the characters.

It's ok to criticize characters, but you also have to remember that they are not you. You may perceive things differently than them because you are not them.

 

[hokahey]

Did a search and was stunned to see there was an OT with posts from yesterday! This movie was brilliant. Beautiful. Incredible soundtrack. One of my new favorite movies. It stands with True Romance and my favorite love story on film.

And I've already said it, but dat SOUNDTRACK. I'm geeking out on everything about this film so hard right now.

 

[armv]

Coincidence?

 

[Quick]

Coincidence?

What coincidence?

 

[Dany]

Car/A Real Hero?

 

[armv]

Car/A Real Hero?

Pretty much.

Here's another example.

 

[ToyMachine228]

Pretty much.

Here's another example.

I saw that one during The Walking Dead. Was like..."Is that? No way..."

 

[Dany]

The second one works so much better. That song is the epitome of badassery while driving.

 

[Deadly Cyclone]

Bumping an old topic, sorry, but I just finally saw this and loved it.

Any explanation of the ending? Was it real?

 

[Horse Detective]

Bumping an old topic, sorry, but I just finally saw this and loved it.

Any explanation of the ending? Was it real?

Yes.

He is the man with no name. He cannot die.

 

[Bombadil]

Sorry for the bump, but I just finished watching a movie called "Desperado" starring Antonio Banderas.

And I noticed that he wears a jacket with a scorpion on the back as well. Maybe the makers of "Drive" got inspiration from it?