I am not familiar with Japanese cinema. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of films I have seen from that country. But all the buzz around Drive My Car over the course of this year's awards season has made me curious. What could be so great about watching three hours of people driving around in a red Saab 900 Turbo and talking to each other? Answer: When it comes to fascinating and lost souls, there's a lot going on.
At the beginning we get the impression that everything is going smoothly in the marriage of Oto and Yusuke. After waking up in bed, they harmoniously go about their rituals, which they use to show their love for each other. As the film progresses, however, we are shown revelations that make us question what we have seen so far. Suddenly, another event happens that turns the entire plot upside down. And then, 45 minutes into the film, the opening credits roll. And I ask myself: "Is this the beginning of the real film"? The first hour is like a prologue, which most films explain with exposition. Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi keeps the camera on every little detail and thus lets language speak. The epic running time can possibly be explained by the fact that Hamaguchi has enough time in the remaining two hours to tell the central story of the film. Why not then simply show extensively how it comes about in the first place? Because the core relationship of this film is not between the couple. It is between Yusuke and the young chauffeur Masaki. Two completely different generations coming together. The protagonist is also worlds apart from the ambitious actor Koji. The more exciting the dialogues between all the characters, the more thrilling the directions in which the relationships move. Even secondary characters are of immense importance to the plot and its significance despite limited time.
Hamaguchi manages to make much out of little in three hours. Although the action takes place mainly in three localities, the ingenious script makes you feel as if you are in all of them at the same time. In particular, the emotional states that Drive My Car traverses are eerily resonant. So authentic, so natural and so beautifully filmed that you would love to get into the red speedster yourself. A quiet and intimate masterpiece.
At the beginning we get the impression that everything is going smoothly in the marriage of Oto and Yusuke. After waking up in bed, they harmoniously go about their rituals, which they use to show their love for each other. As the film progresses, however, we are shown revelations that make us question what we have seen so far. Suddenly, another event happens that turns the entire plot upside down. And then, 45 minutes into the film, the opening credits roll. And I ask myself: "Is this the beginning of the real film"? The first hour is like a prologue, which most films explain with exposition. Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi keeps the camera on every little detail and thus lets language speak. The epic running time can possibly be explained by the fact that Hamaguchi has enough time in the remaining two hours to tell the central story of the film. Why not then simply show extensively how it comes about in the first place? Because the core relationship of this film is not between the couple. It is between Yusuke and the young chauffeur Masaki. Two completely different generations coming together. The protagonist is also worlds apart from the ambitious actor Koji. The more exciting the dialogues between all the characters, the more thrilling the directions in which the relationships move. Even secondary characters are of immense importance to the plot and its significance despite limited time.
Hamaguchi manages to make much out of little in three hours. Although the action takes place mainly in three localities, the ingenious script makes you feel as if you are in all of them at the same time. In particular, the emotional states that Drive My Car traverses are eerily resonant. So authentic, so natural and so beautifully filmed that you would love to get into the red speedster yourself. A quiet and intimate masterpiece.
Tell Your Friends