Neo Noir in Drive

Drive Neo Noir Conventions

Narrative

Ryan Goslings character in Drive is working to help protect Irene and her son through acts of violence. this show him to be an anti Hero and shows how he has a fatal flaw. He has no desire for money or his own will being, his main focus is to protect irene and her son.

Characters

Driver - A flawed Anti Hero who acts on the behalf of a woman, this is typical of noir conventions.

Irene - A diluted Post Modern Femme Fatale who inactively get Ryan Goslings character to help her. She DOES NOT use her sexuality to manipulate him unlike in classic Noir.

Corrupt Characters - Gangsters this isn't typical of noir 

Mise en scene

Neon signs - Red Exit sign conveys danger and that they should leave. 

Dark low key lighting half and half lighting on the face venetian blinds. All these are common techniques used in classic noir to show the duality of the protagonists by showing their faces in half light and half dark. We see this used when the driver commits a dark act for a good reason which high lights him as an anti hero.

Themes

Paranoia and mistrust run through out the film which reflects the mood of classic Noirs set in the cold war period. We see this in the scene with Blanche where The Driver Slaps her and Questions her.

The Graphic Violence is a post modern twist but still helps convey the bleakness of standard Noir.