The Driver

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Draco S Sep 6, 2018 I am quickly liking these Walter Hill directed thrillers from the mid 70s. Perhaps it reminds me of watching late night TV in the 1980s? In this 1978 thriller we have a getaway driver (Ryan O'Neal) who is pretty good at his job or driving away from armed robberies evading police cars that always crash in slow motion! In the other corner is a police detective (Bruce Dern) who is pretty good at his job using sometimes questionable methods. The detective is determined to catch the driver. Nobody has a real name in this film it appears. In the middle is a mysterious woman called The Player (Isabelle Adjani). Not much dialogue is shown from the driver just a series of excellent chase scenes that rival anything else at the time and feature some excellent stunt work. Hill shows the cat and mouse game between the driver and the detective and brings a good 1970s film to the screen. True it has aged somewhat since it's 1978 release (it makes me feel old saying that) but it is entirely enjoyable. The influence of this film on more recent films such as Drive (Ryan Gosling) and Baby Driver is clear to see. See more

Harry R Jun 2, 2018 The Driver is a slick, gripping, and thrilling action/thriller tinged with film noir. Even the characters are given slick names such as the main character who is referred to is either "The Driver" or "Cowboy" by the police detective trying to catch him. The Driver is a man who works as a getaway driver for criminals and is the best at the job. Every criminal wants him, but he doesn't come cheap and always scrutinizes his clients (At the beginning of the film, he chastises his clients and refuses to ever work with them again since they were late getting back to the car). He is careful at what he does, frustrating a police detective due to a lack of evidence. However, when The Driver, takes on a job, he winds up in a dangerous conspiracy that could land him in jail or kill him. The plot is fairly simply and features familiar tropes, but the direction is slick, the acting is solid, and the action sequences are thrilling and breathtaking. It still puts many car chase films to shame even with all the technical wizardry of modern Hollywood. If you love a good action film, you cannot miss The Driver, as it is easily among the best of the genre. See more

Ron G Dec 12, 2017 Let us talk about silence. This is one of those movies where the cool move is to walk away without as much as a shrug. Two criminals that show emotion: A vindictive thief humiliated by the driver and a vulnerable female fixer both meet bad ends. I am not a fan of Ryan O`Neal (who is?), but in this he stands as tall as laconic icons Steve McQueen (who turned it down - tired of car films and ready for some Ibsen) and Alain Delon. The French have a solid tradition pairing crime and stoicism. Check out the classic heist movie Rififi. Where feelings lead to downfall - a guy puts a ring in his own pocket to give to his girl. Cinema has always had an on/off love affair with silence. The 70`s were almost the second silent era, in a decade when American television blabbered away. And today? You may compare the original and the remake of The Mechanic. The first knows that silence is a powerful tool. The second is just grunts between the rumble. Bring on the roaring 80`s. Jack Nicholson became a set of eyebrows, Al Pacino a boombox, McQueen died and O`Neal all but vanished. Adapt or die. Rather funny that director Walter Hill ended up making 48 Hrs. with Eddie Murphy in his motormouth prime. Before we silence the talk: The Driver confirms that sitting next to Isabelle Adjani during a car chase is the best thing in the world. See more

Albus W Aug 22, 2017 Getaway driver movies are usually pretty cool, but this one was just so... 70's.

Hagrid L Feb 7, 2017 Le Samouraï meets Drive

Hagrid R Jan 5, 2014 An absolutely deadly film.

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The Driver

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