The Role: Driver (Ryan Gosling) Why Nic Cage Would Have Improved It: It's hard not to admit that this one will be a tough sell. Drive is a cult movie with a rabidly protective fan-base, and more to the point, it stars actor-du-jour Ryan Gosling in one of his most memorable roles. Drive is no doubt a solid movie, though Nicolas Winding Refn's slow-moving, "artful" vibe does prove as frustrating as it is intriguing. Sure, it's awesome when Gosling stomps a guy's face to pieces in a lift, but watching him stare into the middle distance for half the movie isn't exactly the most invigorating thing we've ever seen. Nicolas Cage may not have the boyish good looks of Gosling, but he's got a vividly expressive face that we could watch all day, which is all-too important given Refn's prerogative with this movie. Sure, he'd look hilarious in that scorpion jacket and casting him opposite Carey Mulligan would be totally ridiculous (her character would need to be recast for an older actress), but seeing Cage challenged to turn his trademark insanity inwards and express himself through more subtle facial motions would be a fascinating acting masterclass to observe, and we know he'd rise to the occasion. Given how well he slotted into Werner Herzog's artful yet brilliantly bonkers Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans, we expect he'd be a total blast here, especially when compared to Gosling's competent if not particularly exciting work here.
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