Deerfield Beach’s Brandon Bejarano finishes 83rd in the 29th annual Spanish River Invitational Cross Country meet at South County Regional Park in West Boca Raton last Saturday. Bejarano ran a personal best 18:06.86 over the 3.1 mile course. Photo by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

Deerfield Beach High boys cross country coach Jerry Guthrie believes this could be the best team he has had in years.

“They are better than they have ever been to start the year, that’s for sure,” said Guthrie after his team finished 30th in the star-studded 29th annual Spanish River Invitational Cross Country meet at South County Regional Park in West Boca Raton last Saturday. “Our top guy (Brandon Bejarano) finished 83rd in this race, but he had a PR.”

Bejarano, a sophomore, whose previous best time was 18:20, ran 18:06.86 over the 3.1 mile course and has given Guthrie reason for optimism. The last time the Bucks boys’ cross country team reached states was in 2003.

“I think we have a good chance to go to state,” said Guthrie, who has coached the Bucks team since 2000. “I have already had coaches come up to me this year and tell me they think we have a good chance this year, given the way we started. I am looking for two to be in the 16s and three to be in the 17s and we will go to state. I am excited.”

In addition to Bejarano, the other boys’ finishers included Cleezy Andre, a junior (93rd overall, 18:14.58), sophomore Aaron Johnson (188th overall, 19:58.27),  junior Brian Johnson (201st overall, 20:28.99), junior Jourdin Andre (219th overall, 20:53.98), sophomore Perry Tony (226th overall, 21:00.85) and junior Ryan Lacava (241st overall, 21:33.69).

The Bucks finished with 758 points and it is something that was not lost on Guthrie and the team. They had higher expectations.

“It takes them down a peg and shows them they have a lot of work to do,” Guthrie said. “Even though we did well in our first race and we are going to do well in the county, they see, in order to go to state, they have to work harder. They are already talking about it. It is very good for them.

“I expected them all to do a PR and they all did except for one, and he doesn’t know what happened,” Guthrie added. “He’ll be back. He came in second in the first race we had and then he was second to last today, but you have bad days. He had sore legs and said he had nothing left.”

With no seniors in his top seven, Guthrie has high hopes for the squad.

“All of my kids are sophomores and juniors,” Guthrie said. “It bodes well for the next couple of years, and I think we will be there at the end of the season.”

Ely downs Taravella

Blanche Ely quarterback Darren Allen rallied his team from a 17-0 halftime deficit to defeat Taravella, 20-17, in a high school football game on Friday night. Allen completed 15 of 25 passes for 152 yards, threw two touchdowns and rushing for another. A 15-yard touchdown catch by Ely’s Jordan Fields with just under two minutes remaining was the deciding score.

Barry S. Anderson will be at Spooky Empire. Will you?

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Last Monday night at Bru’s Room, the Deerfield Beach Reunion Committee adjourned for 10 years, making plans for the 40-year class reunion in 2021.

Many of us felt we had arrived at a domestic crossroads; one individual is buying her first house, some were dealing with their children graduating high school and  some are dealing with being the guardian to aging parents.

Opening tomorrow in limited release, My Afternoons with Margueritte is a beautiful and poetic French film about many characters at their crossroads. Gérard Depardieu portrays Germain, the town handyman who feels short-changed by life. His true solace is spent on the park bench with Margueritte (Gisele Casadesus), a 92-year-old bibliophile. Beyond talking about life, liberty and romance, the couple take pleasure in naming pigeons.

Told with flashbacks, Ger-main recounts having a verbally abusive mother. Margueritte becomes Ger-main’s mentor. Conflict ensues and Germain must set things right. Since the drama is not forced and the acting is subtle, this film becomes a pleasant cinematic choice.

For those seeking, instead, experiences of horror and terror, Spooky Empire’s Ultimate Weekend of Horrors will commence the second weekend in October. (www.spookyempire.com). The guest list now includes Malcolm McDowell, horror author Clive Barker and Barry S. Anderson, renaissance artist. Like Bill Hinzman, Anderson holds perfect attendance with Spooky Empire.

A “monster kid” from upstate New York, Anderson came to South Florida during Spring Break, got a regular job in Miami Vice and stayed here. He later joined Tom Savini’s special effects and makeup team on the set of George Romero’s Day of the Dead (1985).

He said, “This was a dream come true for a ‘monster kid,’ who grew up during the 60s and 70s watching Chiller Theatre every Friday and Saturday night while eating Jiffy Pop Popcorn!”

Besides a 17-year stint with Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, Anderson has contributed to the motion picture industry in a variety of films, from Hairspray to his recent independent feature shot in Orlando, Astro Zombies M4 Invaders from Cyber Space, which features a cameo appearance from his wife of 22 years, Chickie, and 9-year-old son, Miles.

Recently, he showed Miles the original Boris Karloff Frankenstein movies.  At first fearful of the monster, Miles later told his father, “The monster wasn’t bad, he was just looking for a friend.”

DEERFIELD BEACH

Sept. 18 An employee at Freedom Marine Center, 790 NW 1 Terr., saw a man jump a fence on the company’s property and break into a vessel. The man was arrested and charged with burglary to a business.

Sept. 18 A man was stopped for a traffic violation at 100 SW 4 St. The man was observed throwing cocaine out the window. Man admitted to having purchased the cocaine. He was arrested and charged with possession of narcotics.

Sept. 18 A neighbor of the victim of a home burglary observed four men behind the home at 1190 SW 5 Ave. The home was broken into. A flat-screen television and $400 were stolen.

Sept. 18 A woman reported that her home at 5031 NE 7 Ave. was broken into and electronic equipment was stolen.

Sept.18 A man reported that his neighbor told him his Jet Ski was stolen from his dock at 960 Crystal Lake Dr.

Sept.18 A man reported his car and 10-speed bicycle stolen from his home at 27 Centennial Court, the Waterways.

Sept.17 A man and woman were arrested and charged with breaking into a home at 57 SE 6 Ave. and stealing $300 worth of property. Some of the property was reported to have been sold.

Sept. 17 A home at 770 SE 2 Ave. was broken into and two bicycles were stolen.

Sept.16  A man reported his truck stolen from 1633 SE 5 Court.

Sept. 16 A man reported his home at 824 NE 4 Court broken into and a laptop, jewelry and DVD player stolen.

DEERFIELD — District 4

Sept. 17 Grand theft, 3650 SW 10 St., between 6 and 8 a.m.Complainant reported that unknown person(s) had stolen three storm drains covers valued at $600. Area was canvassed with negative results.

NOTE: Over the weekend, Independence Bay experienced several overnight vehicle burglaries. Most of the vehicles were left unlocked with items of value inside. Please remember to lock your doors and remove property from your vehicles.

Sept. 16 Residential burglary arrest, 5391 NW 2 Ave., Highland Meadows Estates. During an ongoing investigation, suspect was identified by witnesses in this case. An alert was disseminated and suspect was arrested for an active warrant. Information was received about location of possible stolen property. Contact was made and five large flat- screen televisions were recovered. Analysis showed several residential burglaries have occurred in the Highland Meadows development in which flat-screen televisions were targeted. Post Miranda, arrestee provided several different stories as to where  the televisions came from and became uncooperative. He was charged with burglary residence and grand theft. Investigation is ongoing.

Sept. 10-16 Residential burglary, 5330 NW 4 Ave., Highland Meadows Estates.  Complainant who is responsible for the residence while the owners are away reported that unknown person(s) had broken into the above-listed residence. Point of entry was by a rear window that was forced open. Suspect(s) then made a spaghetti dinner and possibly took a 50″ TV and a computer. Owners of the residence could not be contacted at time of report to verify the items taken. Scene was processed and the area was canvassed.

LIGHTHOUSE POINT

Sept. 14 A woman reported a wallet, two prescription medications and $10 missing from her purse. She said the items may have dropped from her purse or been stolen while she was pumping gas at Lighthouse Point Sunoco, 3900 N. Federal Hwy.

Sept.14 A man reported that a woman approached him in the parking lot of Dollar Tree at 3780 N. Federal Hwy. and asked to use his cell phone. He handed her the cell phone and she ran away with it.

Sept.11 Two women became involved in a physical fight at Wahoo’s Sports Bar ‘N Grill at 3128 N. Federal Hwy. Neither woman wanted to press charges. The incident was reported as mutual combat.

Sept. 10 A man who suffers from dementia reported that his daughter-in-law stole $200 worth of prescription drugs from his home. Report was made at 4500 N. Federal Hwy. Because of his dementia, police are not sure if the incident he reported really happened.

Restore harmony in Budget process

Dear Editor:

At last night’s commission meeting, I heard thoughtful and well-articulated positions from each commissioner and the mayor.  What a pity that the people who needed to hear them the most had stormed out of the meeting.

A few citizens spoke in favor of restoring harmony and the planning that has been done by our leadership.  How sad that most of the people who attended did so only to object to something that they clearly do not understand.  Am I the only one who noticed that every few weeks the math (supporting the ‘no utility tax’ position) changed completely?  When one set of numbers was proven wrong, they just came up with a new one.

The leaders of the movement against the utility tax have gained support by spreading rumors and offering total falsehoods as “facts.”  Their positions are always stated around personal attacks on members of the administration (or with personal attacks on other citizens; Robb hit a new low last night).

I attended all the meetings and workshops that went into creation of the new budget.  I have applauded the transparency and accountability that has been brought to the process and to the city finances as a whole.  Since taking office, this commission has worked each year to reduce expenses in the general fund.  They have made a great many hard decisions (not just the utility tax) in order to bring fiscal responsibility and fairness to our city.

A lovely woman [Marge Norwich] spoke that she felt we were losing our identity with fights like this one.  She said the budget must be a plan for the future of our city.  She hoped that the commission could make Deerfield Beach come alive again and I add my support to her statement.

Sally Potter

Deerfield Beach

Apology

Dear Editor:

This is a letter I must write to apologize to [retired firefighter] Tim Hanley for my outburst at the last commission meeting. When he said, [“I was raised to be respectful,] blame it on my parents,” I said, “They are both dead.” I meant no disrespect. I know both Jay and Terry Hanley, and I attended both of their funerals.

Tim can call me all the names he wishes, but he seems to forget that his dad came to me when Tim wanted to get on the Fire Department, and the chief did not want to hire a third Hanley since Mike and Terry were already with the department. I spoke to the chief on Tim’s behalf, and he was hired.

I am doing this last thing for Tim. I have never been a supporter of the fire department pensions; but I am a firm believer in giving the retirees the things they were promised. The commission made those concessions, and now they can change the game for the newcomers, but not those who have already retired. All of the concessions made to the fire department such as health insurance, retirement age, and benefits, were promises made that should be kept.

Jean M. Robb

Deerfield Beach

Adult Basketball league

New 18+ Women’s Basketball League forming Thursday Evenings. Begins in October. $40/Deerfield residents, $50/others. 25+ Men’s Basketball League on Wednesday evenings begins Oct. 5. $400/team, individuals welcome. 954-480-4426 or 954-480-4427.

AARP Driver Safety Program Classes

• Thursday, Sept. 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

NE Focal Point Center, 227 NW St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

954-480-4441

• Tuesday, Sept. 27 and

Wednesday Sept. 28, 1 to 4 p.m.

Herb Skolnick Center, 800 SW 36 Ave., Pompano Beach, FL 33069

Save money on your car insurance, learn how to drive safely, keep up on current Florida statutes regarding u-turns, cell phones and much more. Ages 55+. 954-786-4590.

Grand Re-Opening of E. Atlantic Blvd.

Friday, Sept. 23, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Beach Block of E. Atlantic Blvd., Between A1A and Pompano Beach Blvd., Pompano Beach, FL  33062

Hosted by Pompano CRA. Local shops and restaurants participate with sidewalk displays and sampling. Food and beverages may also be purchased. LIVE music by Billy Bones. 954-786-4531 or www.pompano
beachcra.com.

NE Focal Point Open House

Friday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

227 NW 2 St., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Visit and meet staff. Entertainment, interactive activities, exhibits, refreshments, door prizes and more. Find out about volunteer opportunities. Winners of “What the NE Focal Point Means to Me” contest announced. Thrift Shop offering 30 percent off. 954-480-4449.

6th Annual Food for the Poor’s “5KWalk/Run For Hunger”

Saturday, Sept. 24, Registration: 6 a.m.

Run/Walk: 9 a.m.

Quiet Water’s Park, 401 S. Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

888-404-4248 or www.FoodForThePoor.org/walk  to sign up, start a team or make donation.

Poets for peace

Saturday, Sept. 24, 2 p.m.

The Promenade, Bottega Wine Bar, 4455 Lyons Rd., Coconut Creek, FL 33073

Just in time for Peace Week, the Palm Beach Poetry Festival and 100 Thousand Poets For Change host this event. Poets perform work to promote social, political, environmental sustainability and change. Attendees welcome to read own work or favorite poems by other poets. Limit: one page. Special guest acoustic musicians will play songs for peace. www.palmbeach
poetryfestival.org.

Free Softball Clinic

Saturday, Sept. 24, 2 to 4 p.m.

Deerfield Middle School Athletic Complex, Field No. 1

701 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach , FL 33441

For Girls ages 8-12. Hosted by Deerfield Beach Sharks Travel Softball team.

South Florida Chamber Ensemble

Saturday, Sept. 24, 8 a.m.

Zion Lutheran Church & School, 959 SE 6 Ave., Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

Performance kicks off 2011-2012 inaugural season. Tickets $15-adults/$10- students and seniors.  954- 803-3762.

Ashley Cleveland Concert

Tuesday, Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m.

Rocketown Florida , 371 S. Federal Hwy., Pompano Beach, FL 33062

Christian singer/songwriter, 3-time Grammy Award winner and Dove Award winner performs. $12 General Admission. Purchase tickets at www.ticketweb.com. 954.786.1116.­­

Golf Tournament

Monday, Sept. 26, 1:15 p.m. (shotgun)

2 Georges at The Cove, 1754 SE 3 Ct., Deerfield Beach, FL

(Pick up your Dunn’s Run registration packet here on Sept. 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds benefit Boys & Girls Clubs. 954-427-0353.

PLAN AHEAD: FREE High Holiday services

Chabad at 4081 N. Federal Hwy., in Pompano Beach, is holding FREE High Holiday services on Sept. 30 for Rosh Hashana and Oct. 7 for Yom Kippur. No membership needed. RSVP: 347-410-1106. Info: www.JewishLHP.com.

A friend of mine called to ask a question about Tisha B’Av, which fell this year on the 9th of August. It is a very sad day in the history of the Jewish People. It is a day on which many calamities have occurred. It seems my friend went to two Synagogues on Tisha B’Av. In one, the people were fasting and observing many of the customs that made it appear that they were in the midst of mourning. But in the other Temple, there were people who were dancing and singing; two different groups … each observing a very special day of the year in very different ways.

One would hope that they would permit each other to observe in their own way in peace and harmony, but alas, that is not the reality in which we live.

And so it was that a member of one Temple ran into a member from the other, and, sure enough, they got into an argument. One argued that the day should be marked by weeping and sorrow, and the other argued that it should be a day to dance in joy.

Before long, the two men … two brothers of the same faith … began to exchange more than words with one another. I doubt that anyone could have convinced either one of them that there might be more than one way to observe the day. But, what they were doing was exactly why the Sages say the Temple was destroyed in the first place. It was destroyed by senseless hatred between brothers and sisters of faith.

As I recall from my youth, there is a tale of two great Sages who, upon looking at the destruction of the Temple, one began to weep and the other to dance. Each was confused as to how the other could react so differently to the very same thing.

One wept because he felt the immediate pain of the destruction. The other danced because he saw the destruction as a sign of fulfillment of Biblical Prophecy and as assurance that the day would soon come when the Temple would be rebuilt and there would be peace throughout the world.

When I am called on to go to a family who has just experienced the loss of a loved one, it is not unusual to find that each member of the family is experiencing the passing of their loved one differently.

One may be weeping at the pain of loss. Another might be feeling relief and, dare I say it, a form of joy in the fact that their loved one is no longer in pain, that they are at peace.

I don’t know that either way of dealing with the loss is superior to the other. I only know that both are ways that we deal with loss and, as friends … as neighbors … as brethren … our job is to be there to comfort the mourner however their psychological makeup brings them to deal with their loss.

May we come to honor each other’s way of dealing with the loss of a loved one. Just as we would want others to respect the way we choose to grieve, may we be wise enough to honor another’s way.

Shalom My Friends,

Rabbi Craig H. Ezring

Rabbi Ezring is a Hospice Chaplain and Member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains. He also provides Professional Pastoral Care Services to a number of health centers in Broward County. 

By Diane Emeott

Tuesday night, Sept. 20 was the second and final reading of Deerfield Beach’s 2011-12 Budget. It features a 1 mil drop in total millage – 5.7688 compared to 6.7688 last year. It also includes $6.2 million projected revenue from utility tax, slated to take effect Oct. 1.

Commission Chambers were packed for the one-hour-plus public hearing on the budget. Residents were very vocal, some with acrimonious comments.

See Story in full in Sept. 22 Observer newspaper. Video also available on ObserverTV.

William E. Bucknam

Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001 was going to be an exciting day for me. It marked the 20th anniversary of my employment as the Vice President & General Counsel for MWI Corporation in Deerfield Beach and, because of my involvement in securing the passage of the African Growth & Opportunity Act  in 2000, I was honored to receive an invitation to a meeting at the White House for a briefing on the Bush Administration’s African trade policy. That meeting was to take place in the Old Executive Office Building on the west side of the White House grounds in the early afternoon. As I often did, I departed West Palm Beach on the 7 a.m. US Airways flight bound for Reagan National Airport and I was scheduled to return on the evening flight on the same day.

As I walked off the aircraft at Reagan National at 9:03 a.m., I was about to learn that the whole world had just changed. Merle called me to tell me that two planes had just hit the World Trade Center in New York. I quickly walked outside to wait for a cab to go into town. For some reason, that line was much longer than any I had ever encountered at Reagan National. The US Airways terminal is the northernmost terminal at Reagan National and, as I waited in line, facing north, I watched a huge cloud of thick black smoke pass by.

When I finally got into the cab and was headed across the 14th Street bridge into D.C., I turned around and I could see that the Pentagon was on fire. The thickest blackest smoke I had ever seen was rising up from the far side of the Pentagon. That fact had not yet been reported since all eyes were still on New York. I called many of my friends from the cab to report the fire at the Pentagon. Once across the bridge, there was utter and complete chaos. In my entire life, I had never seen Washington like this. Traffic finally came to a grinding halt, and I gave up and decided to just get out and walk to my friend Warren Glick’s office. Cell communication suddenly stopped so it was impossible to get updates on the events of the day. As I walked to Warren’s office, I could hear many people on the street talking about another plane that was supposedly headed to D.C.

There was no television in Warren’s office, so we just sat and talked without really knowing exactly what was happening. We finally decided to look for a place to have lunch, and we learned that most of the restaurants were closing. We finally headed over to the Palm Restaurant, which was nearby and which remained open, and it was there that we had lunch. When we finally exited the restaurant, Washington looked like a veritable ghost town. There was virtually no traffic on Connecticut Avenue. The meeting at the White House had obviously been cancelled and, since all air traffic had been grounded, there was no way that I would be flying back to West Palm Beach that evening. I finally found a cab to take me to the home of my brother Bob in North Arlington.

It was only when I saw the television at Bob’s home that the magnitude of what had happened earlier in the day finally began to sink in. I learned, for the first time, that both twin towers of the World Trade Center had actually collapsed and fallen to the ground, that the Pentagon had been hit by a jumbo jet, and that another jumbo jet had crashed somewhere in Pennsylvania under mysterious circumstances. I sat there dumbfounded and I have often wondered ever since if my fate might have been different if US Airways had flown a jumbo jet from south Florida, where the hijackers had been based, to Reagan National instead of the much smaller Boeing 737.

The next day, Bob drove me to the Pentagon to assess the damage, and we got as close as we could get. It was shocking to see a large section of the Pentagon totally destroyed, and the pungent smell of burning human flesh that still lingered in the air remains with me to this day.

Since all air traffic was still grounded nationwide, I decided to look for a rental car to begin the journey back to Florida. I was lucky to find a car at Hertz, and, for $100, I could head home. I picked the car up on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 13, and I drove as far as South Carolina before I checked into a motel to collapse. I got up very early on the morning of Friday, Sept. 14 to continue my journey to West Palm Beach. While I drove, I listened to the remarks of President Bush at the prayer service at Washington’s National Cathedral, and I was really moved. I think the entire nation was moved by what I felt was his best speech ever.

I finally made it back to West Palm Beach around 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon and Merle picked me up at Hertz and told me that I looked shell-shocked. In retrospect, I guess I was still in the state of shock, and I know that these are four days that I shall never forget. The irony of having been invited to a meeting at the White House on Sept. 11, 2001 is truly amazing.

Sean Smothers wins the Junior Golf Association of Broward County season-ending championship and the prestigious Julius Boros title, after finishing with a low stroke average of 74.25 for the summer. Photo by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

Sean Smothers thought he could have shot a couple of strokes better here and there, but was happy with the way he played. As well he should be.

The Pompano Beach 15-year-old not only won the Junior Golf Association (JGA) of Broward County season-ending championship, but also captured the prestigious Julius Boros title after finishing with a low stroke average of 74.25 for the summer. It was his third tournament title of the summer.

“I just wanted to start off and make sure I kept myself in the tournament,” said Smothers, a Cardinal Gibbons High School junior, who is also a member of the school’s golf team. “It just gives me experience and how to deal with pressure spots. I will learn from what I did here. If I got myself in trouble, I came back after it.”

Smothers, who carded a 75-73-75-223 to win the tournament, has played in the Junior Golf Association of Broward County for the past five years.

“I look forward to Mondays a lot,” said Smothers, of the Monday outings when the JGA of Broward is played. “It is just a time to play golf and spend time with your friends. You get to play tough courses and you get good competition.”

Smothers said the summer tour helped him stay sharp for the high school season and hopes the Chiefs will be competitive in the districts when they finished fourth and narrowly missed advancing farther in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) state series. He said they added two new players to the squad and that should help.

“This is great because there is good competition and you have to play solid to win it,” Smothers said. “I just try and play the course and, however I do, I do. If I start to play the opponents, that’s when I tend to mess up.”

Smothers also liked playing on the top courses in Broward County during the JGA of Broward.

“It is great,” Smothers said. “It seems like you have a huge advantage, even when you won’t be able to get on courses to play.”

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

Where Crabby Jacks [recently burned down in a fire] was located, the marquee for the only Drive-In movie theatre in Deerfield Beach once stood.

Spawning from there, 36 years ago, traffic jams were caused on Federal Highway, thanks to the release of the film Jaws.

During rush-hour traffic last Friday morning, commuters on I-95 may have witnessed the return of Jaws,  a Megalodon, a giant shark thought to be extinct from South Florida waters for thousands of years,  riding on the back of a truck headed to its new home at the Ft. Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science. It will be part of the Prehistoric Florida exhibit in the new EcoDiscovery Center, slated to open on Veterans Day, 2011.

Veteran’s Day will also mark the last day of the 26th Annual Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival.  Beyond screening foreign and homegrown motion pictures, FLIFF has invited some well-known celebrities.

Best known for her work in Carlito’s Way and Kindergarten Cop, Penelope Ann Miller will attend Gala Night with screening of The Artist, an award-winning movie on the European circuit this summer.

On Nov. 8, Piper Laurie will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in dramatic classics like The Hustler and horror classics like Carrie.

To find out more about this year’s festivities and surprise guests keep checking www.fliff.com.

Also Drive opens this weekend.  Ryan Gosling portrays a stuntman who moonlights as a get-away-car driver.  For years, his character has worked in partnership with Shannon (Bryan Cranston), who has ties with organized crime figures portrayed by Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman.  When one caper goes astray, Gosling becomes the surrogate husband to Irene (Carey Mulligan).

While Drive contains some great stunts and action scenes, this flick is more like a Film Noir drama.  Gosling gives a deadpan performance similar to what Robert Ryan, Robert Mitchum and Steve McQueen would have provided in their day. The best, most surprising performance comes from Brooks; the goofy comedian sinks his teeth into a monstrous role of a capo de capo.  Drive is off-road fun as a Saturday matinee.