Drive is a 2011 American thriller film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Ryan Gosling as the principal character. It is adapted from the 2005 James Sallis novel of the same name. Like the book, the film is about a Hollywood stunt performer (played by Gosling) who moonlights as a getaway driver. Prior to its September 2011 release, it had been shown at a number of film festivals. At the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, Drive was praised and received a standing ovation.