Nicholas Winding Refn‘s actioner (which he calls a “romance”) is looking better and better. It started with Ryan Gosling in the nameless lead role, then Bryan Cranston jumped in the passenger seat months later. Now we have Academy Award-nominee Carey Mulligan in the car too. [THR]
Based on James Sallis‘ novel of the same name, the story revolves around a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver for heists. He meets a woman, her son and her man, the latter offering him a getaway job that’s crucial to the central narative.
I’ve read the book and was not a fan. It’s small, fast and lacks much detail. The “driver” is about as descriptive as his character name and the plot is no more original. The writing reads like cheap James Ellroy in its best moments.
That said, Refn as proven himself a visually ambitious director and one who (presumably) let’s his talent “go.” Hopefully this freedom plus Gosling, Cranston and Mulligan’s presence will save what will most likely be a weak screenplay.
Have you read Sallis’ work? Watched Refn’s?