I've seen plenty of Stephen King adaptations in my time, but BIG DRIVER has to be one of the very worst. It's based on a novella by the author and had a screenplay written by Richard Christian Matheson, no less, but that doesn't make it any good; it turns out that this was a television movie, which may go some way in explaining the horrible execution.
You know those films which attempt to be serious but feel false and half-hearted instead? That's the case here. BIG DRIVER skirts the usual TV movie problems by offering explicit adult material, but the storyline is very unsatisfying and it turns out to be a King version of a simple 'rape revenge' storyline a la THE BRAVE ONE.
Maria Bello has never been one of the most interesting actresses and things are no different here. There are the usual kooky Stephen King elements added to the plot - and of course, the main character just HAS to be a successful author - but it's all so insipid, so stupid, that I could barely watch it. A far cry from the glory days of SALEM'S LOT and CARRIE, this one.
You know those films which attempt to be serious but feel false and half-hearted instead? That's the case here. BIG DRIVER skirts the usual TV movie problems by offering explicit adult material, but the storyline is very unsatisfying and it turns out to be a King version of a simple 'rape revenge' storyline a la THE BRAVE ONE.
Maria Bello has never been one of the most interesting actresses and things are no different here. There are the usual kooky Stephen King elements added to the plot - and of course, the main character just HAS to be a successful author - but it's all so insipid, so stupid, that I could barely watch it. A far cry from the glory days of SALEM'S LOT and CARRIE, this one.