The Unlikely Birth of a Modern Classic: Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive Nicolas Winding Refn's film "Drive" was never intended to be a hit.
In fact, the director himself has revealed that most everyone involved in its production thought it would fail.
Yet, 15 years after its Cannes premiere, it is widely regarded as one of the defining films of the 21st century. Refn's experience making "Drive" was akin to a horror story or a cult classic.