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8/10
You can’t help but wonder just how much of himself Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi had instilled into his lead character, the similarly-named Yusuke. A theatre actor and director who specialises in the avant-garde, Yusuke’s seemingly successful life comes undone with the sudden death of his wife. Not that anyone can tell with the way he keeps his emotions in check, stoically keeping calm and carrying on. But when he is commissioned to adapt a theatre production of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, he is forced to confront all that he has repressed.
It’s a film that celebrates the making of art, as Hamaguchi gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the process involved with staging a theatre production. It’s almost like a documentary, as we go through the auditions, the rehearsals and finally opening night. And through this we gain a better understanding of who Yusuke really is. It’s thus a film that requires active participation from its audience, especially as Hamaguchi combines a couple of Marukami’s short stories, as well as Chekhov’s play, using them as metaphors and allegories to craft character studies of both Yusuke and his driver Misaki, a seemingly side character that gradually emerges into a co-lead as the film progresses.
The result is a deceptively dense yet leisurely paced film that justifies its audacious 45 minute prologue. It shows an auteur who’s not afraid to let his film plenty of time to breathe in order to lure its audience with its tale of grief, guilt and regret. And for a three hour film it never lulls, as Director challenges narrative conventions with his Russian doll of a film, one that opens up to reveal deeper shades of his characters and the journey they’re going through.
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Drive My Car is an absolutely beautiful movie on every single level, but why is it three hours long? Many scenes could have been significantly shorter. Now, I’m more willing to ignore it because I loved this movie. But someone not more prepared for cinema might get bored. That being said, this gorgeous film scored itself four Oscar nominations this year; Best Picture, Best International Feature, Ryûsuke Hamaguchi for Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. I think this one has Best Picture winner potential but it won’t win, but it is 100% winning the International Feature award. I think Director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi has really good direction here but I think the Academy was just being nice with that nom. Same with Adapted Screenplay, although I think it should win that. Hidetoshi Nishijima gives an absolutely fantastic deadpan performance. Toko Miura has a few good scenes scattered around the first two hours of the movie. But the last hour is where she really gets to shine, and she’s amazing in that last hour. Everyone else does such a good job with these very fleshed out characters. This movie is great with these deep and personal character moments, many of them taking place inside this car. This movie is such a good narrative of grief and the effect it can have on people. But also a really good love letter to the art of acting and the different forms it can take and the directions it can do when a good cast is brought together. But it explores different forms of grief and whether or not we should feel bad for certain deaths or feel bad for not feeling bad. The two scenes that play before the last one are so incredibly powerful and really drive home the point of the movie. Thank god for HBO max for carrying this movie on their service. I think anyone who is willing to sit down and read for three hours should watch this movie. It’s so fantastic, I just can’t get past how unnecessarily long it is. But catch me rooting for this one on Sunday for a few categories. I need to start watching some more International films outside of ones that are nominated for Oscars. I’m giving Drive My Car a big 9/10. -Tyler.
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