10 Best Hidden Details In Ryan Gosling’s Drive

In the 10 years since its release, Drive has become a cult classic. There’s so much to love about the movie, but many fans might not have even noticed some of the best moments.

For a fairly short and minimal movie that has such little dialogue, there is actually a surprising amount of hidden details stuffed into the stylish new-noir movie, which is why it’s considered one of director Nicholas Winding Refn’s best films. From hidden scorpions throughout its runtime to references to classic 70s movies, there’s so much to unwrap in Drive.

10 The Whole Chase Scene Is Shot From Inside Of The Car

The opening getaway scene, which lasts for almost 10 minutes, is unlike any other chase scene in a movie. It’s more subdued than any other chase sequence, as the Driver (Ryan Gosling) hides in the shadows to evade the cops.

But what’s more interesting is that almost every single shot is from the inside of the car. Even when there’s a shot of a cop car, it’s from the inside of the Chevrolet Impala. Refn said himself that he wanted to make it look like a “diver in an ocean of sharks.”

9 The Jacket Is A Reference To The Scorpion And The Frog

Throughout the whole movie, there’s constantly a strange emphasis on Driver’s jacket, which has a golden scorpion emblazoned on the back of it, and Gosling is always being shot from behind. There’s actually a reason for that and it isn’t simply because it’s a cool jacket.

It is a reference to the fable The Scorpion and the Frog, in which a frog carries a scorpion across a stream on its back, only to be stung halfway across. This is what happens in the movie, as Driver is “stung” when he agrees to help Standard. And given that the scorpion emblem is on his back, Driver is looked at as the frog.

8 There Are Hidden Scorpions In The Movie

As Drive turns 10 years old this year, it has quickly become a classic with so much iconic imagery and music. The most iconic of all is the gold scorpion jacket that Driver wears throughout the movie. It has been referenced to no end and even parodied in Grand Theft Auto.

With the scorpion jacket being a reference to the old fable, the movie is littered with hidden scorpions. Not only is the jacket emblazoned with a giant gold scorpion, but there is a scorpion in a painting behind Bernie in the restaurant when him and Driver make the exchange. There’s even a reflection of a scorpion in the window of the coffee shop right before Driver says he is going to “kick the man’s teeth in.”

7 Bernie’s Eyebrows Are Shaved

Though Albert Brooks doesn’t often appear in movies that he isn’t involved in when it comes to the writing and directing, he brought more to the performance in Drive than any other actor could.

When viewers see Bernie (Brooks) for the first time, he looks completely emotionless, no matter what he’s talking about, and that’s because of the shaved eyebrows. This was apparently Brooks’ decision, as he thought it would make the character seem more sinister, and that’s exactly how it comes off.

6 Shannon Talks So Much Because The Driver Doesn’t

It’s no secret that Driver doesn’t talk all that much. Whether he’s speaking with his closest ally or the love of his life, the Driver often stays quiet. When the audience is introduced to Shannon (Bryan Cranston), he talks so much that he barely pauses between sentences, even if it’s about a different subject.

The reason he does this is because Driver speaks so little, which was apparently Cranston’s decision. The actor even pitched his character’s death. Though Cranston might be best known for his two iconic TV roles, his portrayal of Shannon is so unique.

5 The Way The Driver Holds The Steering Wheel

From the very beginning of the movie, when Driver is hired as a getaway driver from a heist, he can be seen holding the steering wheel in a very unique way. The character rests his thumbs over the top of the wheel, instead of them being tucked underneath, and there’s actually a reason as to why.

It’s the same way that stuntmen hold steering wheels in real life, as it avoids them breaking their thumbs if they ever get into a crash. Given that Driver is a part time stuntman in the film, it’s incredibly well researched on Gosling’s part.

4 Andy San Dimas Has A Cameo

The role of Blanche (Christina Hendricks) was originally meant to be played by “a porn star,” but Refn couldn’t find any that he thought could pull off the role. But during the auditions, one adult actress stood out from the rest.

Though she didn’t get the part of Blanche, Andy San Dimas was offered a cameo in the movie after Refn was impressed at her ability to cry on demand. Dimas can be seen in the strip club that Driver visits midway through the film.

3 References To Taxi Driver

Refn has been very vocal about his love for Taxi Driver in the past, and though there are many parallels between Driver and Travis Bickle, there are some more overt references to the Scorsese classic.

There are so many shots in Drive that are lifted directly from Taxi Driver, mostly when Driver is inside a vehicle, but it doesn’t end there. In one scene, the Driver sits alone eating pie, and Travis Bickle did the exact same thing all the way back in 1976.

2 Sculpts Of Christina Hendricks’ Head Can Be Found In One Scene

As the Driver plots to murder Nino, he steals a mask that he wears on set as a stuntman from a trailer. When he walks into the trailer, there are three other sculpts of heads that can be found. However, those aren’t just sculpts of random people, but Christina Hendricks.

They were made for the actress and were used for the character’s death scene. It isn’t just a fun hidden reference, but those creepy heads add to the disturbing tone of the whole movie.

1 The Mobster In Nino’s Pizzeria

Foreshadowing is used so often in movies, and it can either be subtle or blindingly obvious, and Drive is riddled with blink-and-you’ll-miss-it foreshadowing. Not only do lobsters seem to appear in random places right before a character is about to get murdered, but there’s a clever use of foreshadowing that’s gone in an instant.

When Nino is having a party at his pizzeria, a mobster sitting down can be seen putting a toothpick in his mouth, and as Driver is seemingly obsessed with toothpicks, it’s a clear foreshadowing of his entrance.