The Driver

source: The Driver

The Driver is written and directed by Walter Hill. It stars Ryan O'Neil, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Adjani and Ronee Blakley. Music is by Michael Small and cinematography by Phillip H. Lathrop. A determined cop pursues an enigmatic getaway driver through the crooked streets of Los Angeles It's most amusing to now be able to look back at some of the reviews for The Driver back on its initial release. Without wishing to sound like a smarty pants myself of course, but some of them simply didn't get it, they didn't understand that Ryan O'Neil's character was meant to be one note, unreadable and dissociated from society. There is a reason that the principal characters don't have names, they are simply known as The Driver, The Detective and The Player, the core emotional worth of these people is a key aspect to the film's strength. Where The Driver is emotionless and not for shaking, The Detective is a coiled spring waiting to explode, a law enforcer willing to do anything to capture his Moby Dick. Much of the plaudits that come the film's way tend to focus on the car action, which is perfectly understandable. The chase sequences are kinetic, the trial runs exhilarating, this is quite simply a fast car lovers dream as the stunt team lay fire to the streets of L.A. It's also an influential film into the bargain, however, this is not purely an exercise in action over substance. For sure the story line is simple, but the themes simmering away are anything but simple. The thin line between law and lawlessness is observed, between calm and chaos there is but a hair's breadth, the grey areas vivid in their textures. This is a cat and mouse thriller with a difference, even daring to risk the viewer's ire with a crafty and low-key finale. The script is in turns laconic and hard-boiled, the screenplay surprisingly convoluted in relation to how it all pans out. While the neo-noir vibe is further enhanced by Lathrop's photography as the streetscapes pulse with urban realism. The acting doesn't have to be top notch, the characters do not call for thesping of the method or board walking kind, they just need to get a handle on their respective traits that define them, and they do, perfectly so. A supremely cool movie, exciting and brawny as well, The Driver is a neo-noir gem. 9/10

Walter Hill's second directorial effort after his terrific debut feature "Hard Times" may very well be one of his best films ever, a tense, steely, tersely plotted and resolutely tough-minded crime thriller done in vintage gritty, amoral, staunchly sinewy and unsentimental existential noir style. The usually wanting Ryan O'Neal makes for a surprisingly sturdy and credible protagonist as the titular ace getaway driver, a laconic, audacious, always cool and in control crackerjack wheelman par excellence who's doggedly pursued by a brutish, browbeating, obsessively wacko and determined detective (the ever-manic Bruce Dern in first-rate fruitcake form). Dern tries to collar O'Neal in an elaborate bank robbery set-up, but seriously underestimates O'Neal's razor-sharp cunning and resourcefulness. Hill's tightly wound direction expertly pumps up the brooding, cold-as-ice atmosphere and makes every minute count: both story and characterizations are cut to the bone, the pace remains taut and fleet throughout, the spare, hard-edged, occasionally profane dialogue mines a fine line in hard-boiled reticence, the nervy cat-and-mouse game between Dern and O'Neal vividly reveals the rigid hierarchy which exists in both cop and criminal subcultures alike, and the justifiably lauded ultra-kinetic, heart-pounding, metal-mangling car chase sequences contain a raw, savage, lump-in-your-throat harrowing power that's undeniably arresting and exciting. Phillip Lathrop's shadowy cinematography and Michael Small's bluesy score add substantially to the overall hard-hitting no-nonsense tone. Dern and O'Neal are fantastic in the lead roles, with able supporting turns by Matt Clark as Dern's whiny, talkative, but more level-headed fussbudget new partner, the lovely Isabelle Adjani as a sweet young thing who gets caught up in the fracas, Ronee Blakely as a cagey underworld connection, and the ubiquitous Bob Minor as a stick-up man. Lean, mean and thoroughly gripping, with no sappy pathos or lame smartalecky humor to detract from the firmly rough-edged goings-on, this authentic no-fooling article truly deserves its significant cult status.

Those were The Driver's words after he take a crew of bank robbers for a test drive in their dodgy looking orange Mercedes and proceeds to trash it completely, knocking off both bumpers, tearing off a door, bumping both sides and flattening the roof. A classic scene and this is a good, late 70s action thriller from Walter Hill. It's film noir at it's best and it's pretty cool that every character doesn't have an actual name, we've got The Driver, The Detective, The Player and so on. Ryan O'Neal is cool without actually having to say very much and Bruce Dern is just Bruce Dern, wild eyed and crazy as the Detective determined to catch the Driver by using some strange policing. Isabelle Adjani is very quiet and a sexy foil for things to revolve around. The car chases and mash-ups are as good as some of the stuff used in Bullit, French Connection, The Seven-Ups and other top rate chase scenes. Dern is a highlight as he is bonkers as ever and Walter Hill does a great job in direction and keeping things nice and compact. Check it out!

Blank slates at the wheel: a Los Angeles police detective is obsessed with tracking down his adversary, a professional getaway driver in high-stakes robberies. Screenwriter Walter Hill, quite obviously a movie buff, also directed the film (only his second after "Hard Times"); he has such an affinity for noir clichés (like the old satchel at the train depot routine) that one can overlook the creaky, second-hand plotting and simply enjoy his presentation. Still, aloof, soft-spoken Ryan O'Neal seems rather lightweight for the driver role, and Bruce Dern does little more than make silly faces (his final bug-eyed expression is the most ridiculous; he seems ready to explode literally). Hill purposefully drained the narrative of individual personalities to concentrate solely on the action, and some of this is astutely realized. But when there's no one at the helm worth caring about, the picture leaves the audience with nothing but a quick action high. ** from ****

Yeah, it has a couple of pretty entertaining car chases, but otherwise this film is lame. Ryan O'Neal plays a professional getaway driver, and Bruce Dern his detective nemesis who tries to set him up by getting a couple of thugs to ensnare him. The thugs have different plans. The script is quite mediocre. Director Hill aims for low key, my guess is trying to imitate Bullitt, but it ends up being just boring because the characters are so blank. I wouldn't exactly say the cast is to die for. Dern is a fun presence in movies, but was he ever actually good in one? All of the roles I remember him for were in movies that suck, and whenever he was in a good movie, I can barely remember him being there. O'Neal is pretty 50/50 for me. If he's in the right role, he can be great (see Barry Lyndon), but he can be annoying in just as many movies. Here he's pretty much a blank sheet of paper. Completely dull. Besides Dern, really, I think all the performances come off that way. Isabelle Adjani is nice to look at, but she isn't given much to do besides look pretty (which she does, obviously). And Ronee Blakely is an actress I can only ever associate with one role – I doubt anyone needs to ask. Just to see her elsewhere is so weird (though apparently she has a major role in A Nightmare on Elm Street – haven't seen it in forever), but, in all honesty, she's simply terrible here. Doesn't belong whatsoever. When the performers are asked to act, they seem like complete amateurs. It reminds me a lot of the acting in Walter Hill's followup to The Driver, The Warriors. But at least there the actors were amateurs. It seems like Hill is just not very good with actors. Nor here with a script.

Before Hill hit the big time with The Warriors and Southern Comfort, he made what still stands today as one of the great 'car chase' movies. Not only is it an excuse to show off some skillful stunt driving, but it is an enticing blend of crime, noir, and action with a bleak tone and some excellent dialogue. Featuring strong performances from Bruce Dern and Ryan O'Neil, The Driver has become a forgotten cult classic. O'Neil stars as a getaway driver for robbers, mostly inept robbers. In the style of a hit-man they must find a way to contact him, and once the the job is done he gets his money and vanishes. He is at the top of his game, and no matter how many cops they send after him, he always manages to get away thanks to his driving. A local Detective played by Dern decides to make it his top priority to catch the Driver, and will use anyone to find him, do anything to catch him. Dern hires a bunch of criminals and orders them to contact the Driver and involve him in a false heist, so that the Detective will catch him. The Driver is not so dumb though, is cool and tough, and realises there is something odd going on. Trashing the car of the robbers who want him, he turns down the job. He soon realises the cop is on his tail. O'Neil gets the help of the cold, emotionless Player (Adjani) to fool the Detective, and they set up a plan to get away with a briefcase full of money. However, the Detective is also close behind them. This has some of the best filmed, most exciting and raw car-chases ever filmed. Everything is done simply, there are no jumps between skyscrapers, but it is done with intensity and realism. O'Neil is perfect in the role, speaking only when necessary and everything he says sounds cool. Dern is also strong as the Detective who grows increasingly frantic and abuses his power. Adjani is effectively distant adding to the tone of detachment and coldness. We don't get close to any character, we wouldn't want to and that is not the point. We know what they are, what they do, and watch them do it. No character is named or given any sort of background. The bleak surroundings and grim cityscapes all add to the noir and empty feeling, which may mean that some people will not enjoy it. This is not meant to be a cosy film though, and has a suitably ambiguous ending. Also look out for Ronee Blakely, Nancy's mother from Elm Street Pt 1, as The Connection. An underrated chase and crime movie. 8 out of 10

Mean cop Bruce Dern on the trail of cool get-away driver Ryan O'Neal. Pretty good, as these things go. Both O'Neal and side-kick Adjani are not overly taxed by their roles - each maintains a fixed facial expression throughout the entire film and their characters' dialogue consists largely of isolated words or, occasionally, sentences - but their performances are adequate. Dern's cop could have been similarly spare but somehow he manages to inject some interest - even humour - into a character a lesser actor would have rendered merely unpleasant. On first viewing the plot seems fairly involved and almost believable. On second viewing, however, it is apparent that there is less here than meets the eye. Dern's 'rogue cop' tactics aren't really credible, the O'Neal character's motivation seems confused, and Adjani appears to be along just for the ride. The film does have style, though. The car chases are fairly exciting - particularly a low-speed cat-and-mouse sequence in a large warehouse. Dern gives value for money, and Adjani is very pretty. But at the closing credits the viewer is left thinking 'is that it?' As is so often the case with seventies 'cop movies' it all seems - to be blunt - rather empty and pointless.

Vroom! Vroom!.... With the exception of 2 very good car-chase scenes (one at the beginning and one at the end), The Driver, pretty much, sucked. For me, this was clearly one of those movies where I swear that they were making its story up as they went along. Its badly-conceived situations and its unintentionally laughable dialogue left me believing that story coherency wasn't a real concern for its producers since they believed that with the apparent combined star-power of Ryan O'Neal, Isabelle Adjani, and Bruce Dern in their precious, little picture the ever-gullible audience would accept just about any sort of half-ass nonsense (insensitively tossed their way). What also lost The Driver some significant points was the downright awful and completely unconvincing performance of the rat-faced, frizzy-haired Bruce Dern as "The Detective". Dern's presence, literally, made my skin crawl. He was clearly miscast for his part as the "concerned" and conscientious cop. In conclusion - To say that The Driver was very much a product of its time (the 1970s) would truly be an understatement.

In Los Angeles, a mysterious driver (Ryan O'Neal) is a sad man of few words that drives getaway car in robberies. One day, he participates of a heist of a casino and a player (Isabelle Adjani) is the main witness. However, she tells to the detective (Bruce Dern) in charge of the investigation that the suspect is not the driver of the getaway car. The detective becomes obsessed to arrest the driver and he seeks out a gang that has robbed a supermarket and promises to "forgive" their heist if they help him to arrest the driver in a bank robbery. But the player helps the driver to exchange the dirty money. I have recently seen "Drive" and a friend of mine warned that the 2011 film would be a remake of "The Driver". I have just seen this good thriller by Walter Hill and I have realized that they have the same storyline. "The Driver" has characters without name and is certainly among the greatest car-chase movies. Ryan O'Neal has one of his best roles and Isabelle Adjani is extremely beautiful. The conclusion has an open end with the unknown destiny of the money. My vote is eight. Title (Brazil): "Caçador de Morte" ("Hunter of Death")