Drive My Car: A Review
I know, I know. It’s not Monday. Look things have been going on, but I’m going to keep trying to make this a regular thing because a) I need to learn to do things regularly rather than sporadically, b) I’m watching all of these movies for Oscar season anyway, and c) it’s officially the principle of the thing at this point.
Before we get into the actual movie, let me tell you a little story about living in Atlanta. At the time we saw this movie a few weeks ago it was only available in one theater down off Freedom Parkway. It’s a three hour movie. When I tell you that it took seven and a half hours to get to the theater, see the movie, and get back home, I think you’ll understand why I’m constantly saying we need better mass transit in Atlanta. I literally spent more time in my car getting to and from the theater than I spent watching the movie called Drive My Car.
Another side note: we got to watch the move at the Plaza Theatre, and that was pretty cool should you ever get a chance to see a movie there.
Annnnd the movie. Okay, so the premise is that this dude still hasn’t gotten over his wife’s death from two years earlier. He’s an actor who practices his lines in his car using cassette tapes that his wife made for him for that express purpose. When he takes a directing gig in another city, the organizers get a driver for him. This is problematic for many reasons, mainly that he likes to run his lines in the car and listen to his dead wife. There’s lots of grief. So much grief. And angst because he loves his wife, but his wife wasn’t faithful to him. (Again, I say, find someone who loves you the way Oscar movies love infidelity)
Doesn’t sound like there’d be three hours worth, does it? Well, there is. For one thing, Hamaguchi, the director, includes almost all of Uncle Vanya in some way or another. Kinda wished I’d brushed up on my Chekhov before I watched the film. One really cool aspect of the movie is that the main character, Kabuki, is directing this version of Uncle Vanya that involves people speaking different languages all at the same time including Korean Sign Language. Honestly, Park you-rim deserved a Best Supporting Actress nod for what she brought to her part as a former dancer turned actress complete with sign language.
This movie is one of the reasons why I participate in Ryan’s and my Oscar movie screenings. I wouldn’t have intentionally sought out a three-hour-long movie with subtitles, but I should have because this film is excellent. My slight review hasn’t even scratched the surface of this film, and I do that intentionally because I don’t want to spoil any more than I already have. Suffice to say, there are surprises and heart-rending performances and moments of humor. It did not feel three hours long.
This movie is for people who
love beautiful pictures, i.e. lots of artistic shots
love character pieces
love movies that are all about metaphors for love and boundaries and translation and other poetic stuff I was too busy enjoying the movie to fully appreciate
like exploring filmmaking from places other than the United States
love Uncle Vanya
This movie isn’t for people who
can’t deal with subtitles—but I really think you should learn to love ‘em
prefer a brisk plot to characterization
have small bladders
get car sick easily (just kidding…mostly)
#MondayMovies disclaimer: This blog is just for my thoughts. Sure, I’m a writer and an English major so I have some idea—we would hope—of how stories work. I’m also a flawed human being with my owns likes and dislikes, though, so please watch any movie you like and love it or hate it or just go for the popcorn.