User Reviews

Thanks to French German ARTE Channel for showing a crisp copy of "Drive My Car" ドライブ・マイ・カ. One can only recommend watching this gem of a movie. It delivers on so many levels. No wonder it won an Oscar for best foreign film. The script by Ryūsuke Hamaguchi & Takamasa Ōe is fantastic. "Manhattan Dating Project" director Alex von Roon remembers vividly how one of his Berlin friends used to try not to catch any red lights in order to go easy on the brakes of his "Silberpfeil" Saab 900. Also a post punk guitarist in LA's Silverlake was quite protectivea similar ride. If you like "Lost in Translation" and most of the work of Gruppe 47, or you just want to be taken away on a perfect ride, then get in the car and enjoy this film. Hidetoshi Shinomiya has a great eye & Eiko Ishibashi's score is also recommendable. We salute the cast of the movie all together. それを維持する

El tono introspectivo en el que narra la relación entre un dramaturgo y su relación con su chofer particular, puede ser un poco agotador, por su metraje de cerca de tres horas y su ritmo relajado. De cualquier manera, deja un cierto buen sabor de boca.

This is a theatre producer and the middle-aged stage of his life. The main part of the film consists of him and a group rehearsing a play. There are several dramas surrounding the actors. An additional storyline concerns his female driver. Nothing major actually happens. So the film is also a bit boring, unless you like these acted 'accompanying documentaries'.

Drive My Car is the exact type of movie that should stay away from me. I don't like films that describe life so straight and without fiction. If we put everything aside, the movie has nothing to tell me. I felt like I wasted 3 hours of mine. Sorry Ryusuke Hamaguchi.

It's an incredibly slow burn but it's so worth that slow burn once you get to the end.

Plane, pale, dry, boring, too long It didn't hooked me, the story didn't add up, so many gaps, he didn't even confronted the guy after two years. I didn't get what the movie wanted to tell us. Leave karma do her job? Maybe. As for the nominations, imo not deserved, none of them.

Es muy pesada y larga de ver; sin embargo las tomas son increíbles, le debes prestar mucha atención a la historia para comprender la obra y todo lo que transcurre, el final si es medio malo y se torna aburrida en muchos momentos de la película. Estéticamente es preciosa, y con grandes mensajes.

'Drive My Car' is a masterpiece about pain and artistic creation. Director Ryūsuke Hamaguchi delivers an astounding and very profound tale that explores human relationships and grief, and their connection with art, making you rethink what you know about love and closure. Don't let the three-hour runtime frighten you; a plethora of subplots, powerful performances, and a healing story at its core make 'Drive My Car' a very engaging view. You get lost in the conversations, in the many car rides, and in the meta aspects of a flawless movie that transcends any language, culture, or age. Just want to end by thanking Hamaguchi for giving me one of the most enlightening cinema experiences of my life.

This movie is sooo serious and sooo long and the tempo is soooo low. The protagonist and some other characters were also boring und ansympathetic, only the south korean couple was sweet. I dont understand, why the critics are so high. And something reminds me. Why did the movie shows so much about that russian play and never explained more about it? No, I will not read that book.

Drive my car is very slow but if you hold on to it honey it will be a beautiful and sentimental car ride.

admirable [ ad-mer-uh-buhl ] adjective worthy of admiration; inspiring approval, reverence, or affection.

To begin with I wanna remark how real and human the story felt to me, with extremely detailed (probably missed many of them) characters. My biggest issue with it was that even knowing that I was watching a 3 hour slow-burn drama, I would be lying if I said it didn't bore me in various occasions. Although, the protagonists' finale catharsis was so rewarding. By the moment my rating is a 7, despite feeling that I should rewatch it now that I've seen the entire movie. Finally, all performance were splendid to me and I can't comprehend how they haven't gotten more nominations.

Cinematograficamente PERFEITO! Direção, roteiro, atuações, fotografia... Esse filme atinge maestria de cinema em tudo. Historia incrível de reflexão, superação, autoconhecimento, culpa e perdão. Devidamente premiado mundialmente e não é hype. 3h usadas com propriedade.

Like others, I really wanted to like this movie, and for a while I did. The set-up captured me (though I found one bedroom element ridiculous, something taken seriously that — come on! — verged on comedy). But the longer it played out, the less my interest held up. The devolving middle might have been worth the wait if the denouement had paid off. But it didn't, finally landing without a real payoff — nothing special, nothing to take away that was original or insightful or worth all that time. There's a repression verging on implausibility in the third act that made me wonder about what, exactly, a filmmaker's job is, and whether he or she owes some respect to an audience that invests three hours into a film. Is it fear of being seen as sentimental, or is it pretension, or simply a lack of insight? In any case, I'm bewildered by all the praise, the usual bandwagon. And sad to say it. Yet again.

A long introspective journey about grief and life that is woven beautifully with metaphors and meaning. I can't explain what they all mean but the film resonated with me. Don't let life pass you by, got to keep on living.

My goodness, I couldn't wait for this one to end. Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi's boring, snail's-paced, meandering cinematic tome -- coming in at just a hair under three hours -- is yet another example of the overhyped crop of pretentious releases that characterized the 2021 movie year. As a character study examining the life of a widowed stage actor/director who comes to grips with the truth about his sexually free-spirited wife after her sudden death, the film delves into themes of life imitating art (and vice versa) as he oversees a production of Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya." The multilayered script parallels the plot of the famed Russian play, adding pervasive symbolism in the narrative reflective of the story in Chekhov's work. Of course, appreciating that requires an intimate (and I do mean intimate) knowledge of the source material without which the average viewer is most likely to be completely lost. Ambitious as such an undertaking might be, the picture begs the question, what good is it if most audience members won't be able grasp what's going on? Add to that a wealth of seemingly unrelated subplots, extraneous material and surprisingly underdeveloped characters, and you've got a long-winded, smug art piece that comes across as very self-satisfied with its form, structure and alleged cleverness. How this managed to pick up four Oscar nominations (including best picture) is beyond me. I was relieved when the end finally came, because, as it droned on and on and on, I began to wonder how much more I could take. Thank goodness for a clock that finally managed to tick all the way down.

Maybe my expectations were too high based on the reviews I read. This movie moves at a snails pace which is fine when the characters are well developed and defined, unfortunately that is not the case here. A movie about self loathing can only be interesting if the characters show some sign of redemption, this never happens. Too many roads that lead to nowhere are traveled for too long in this film. The biggest problem is that the characters are so bland and nondescript that you really don't care what happens to them

Never got out of 1st gear. This movie is a clunker. This story can be told in half the time. Seriously, I fail to see the reason for the drawn out editing for so many scenes. In the end though, it’s boring. I was literally praying in the last 45 minutes for the movie to just end so I could relieve myself. Ok I get it, people and relationships are complicated, and trapped love sick people can become delusional and make excuses for abusive relationships. I’ve seen it before, I don’t need to see a 3 hour movie that meanders about it, leaving me begging for some thrills, excitement, anticipation, and tension. I just didn’t feel a thing after this movie because was wrapped up because I stopped caring about where it was going after the first hour. People are going ga-ga over this flick. Really? Go watch more movies. There are much better movies that deal with the same subject matter in a more entertaining way.

A book that we understand every page that we love not to lose someone, whether it is a bad person or a person who even betrays and we did not bring it on ourselves, after all, we did not lose the person we love. In the end, we realize that we have to live, and this is like snow that melts after a while and returns to the water cycle and flows again. farewell

Deep. Profound. Much better than expected. All too human characters, with our many frailities. It's a movie about longing, confronting the past, and acceptence. It challenged me to think about my life and the regrets I've had that I've not been able to let go. Ultimatly it's a movie about forgiveness.

Too long. It is the biggest problem of this poetic and exquisitely narrated film, where silences have as much prominence as words. The performances are wonderful and the film's metaphor of life's own journey is exciting and moving. However, it is by no means a round movie. In fact, it is not a film for all audiences.

I really wanted to like this movie more than I did. It's obviously very well-made with excellent performances but it's excruciatingly slow with an over-indulgent length. I really felt the 3 hours, and I lost engagement that I had to finish it in two sittings. It was a chore to get through. Dare I **** boring for most of it's length. This film would've benefited by being tightened up in the editing room. Watch it for the direction and performances, but beware a film like this will turn a lot of viewers off.

This 3-hour Japanese import has lots of driving (as you might expect). A stage actor/director listens to his lines while in the car. When he travels to a theater festival in Hiroshima, he listens to the dialogue from Uncle Vanya while driving. After the plot's setup 2 years earlier, the rest of the film takes place during the rehearsals for the play and there's lots of rehearsal time with them reading Checkov. Interspersed thru all of this is the director's longing for his former wife, while grappling with the mysteries she left behind. The filmmaking style is flat and straightforward. There's little emotion until near the end and even that is subdued. As a restrained examination of the art and life, it may be fulfilling to some, but at 3 hours, it won't appeal to most. (Japanese with subtitles)

This is a sober, realistic, intelligent film, and as such it probably will not connect with a mass audience, but the intelligentsia loves it (top film of the year from both NY and LA Film Critics, best screenplay at Cannes). It is an examination of love, loss, communication, and the value of art, as seen through the life of a serious actor/director. The performances are very low key, and there is hardly any music or visual pyrotechnics. Unlike most films, in this one much of the serious action takes place in the past, and what happens onscreen is the characters coming to terms - or not - with the difficult realities of their lives.

DRIVE MY CAR is a cathartic, thought-provoking drama on the human experience that expertly breaks down the process of grief. The pacing never waivers during its 3 hour runtime. An outstanding lead performance and elaborate screenplay make this a year-best film.

absolute dismal ... literally could be used for torturing purposes. this is one of those cases when people close their eyes and repeat any praise just to fin into the crowd. well can not care less about those pretentious goons thus i do not hesitate to say : "IT **** !"

THE MOST OVERRATED FILM OF THE YEAR . Empty , shallow , with nothing to show and tell .

The abscence of dialogue didn't make much sense to me . Obviously by being as blank as possible the makers were trying to pretend the film to be something more than it is . Much like many japanese media - literature not included - it was an empty shell and THE VIBE was all it had . No extraordinary ordinary dialogueI or astonishing story . I found the picture to be pretentious and hollow .

Stretched out and sort of disappointing . Personally i expected much more but it failed to deliver . I definitley would rank Titane and A Hero over this .

Wow... I'm at a loss for words on this one, so I'll do my best. In this independent Japanese film, a stage actor and director, reeling from the sudden loss of his wife and the secrets she kept from him, finds himself in the presence and care of a young woman who becomes his personal chauffeur as he prepares to direct a production of Chekov's 'Uncle Vanya'. Through their time spent with each other, they both begin to establish a true bond and connection with one another, and over time gradually open up to one another about their past, their regrets, and trying to simply move on in life however they can. Adapted from a short story, I had high hopes for this film prior to walking in. My only reservation was its 3-hr runtime, not that I don't enjoy long or epic films, but if they're gonna be that long, it's a runtime that better earn every last second, and man did this film earn all of it and then some! Never in my life has 3 hours flown by so seamlessly! I truly felt like I was in a trance for the majority of this film! The characters and story told here completely drew me in, had me invested, and even brought a tear to to my eye in the third act. The film has one of the most profound and genuine statements on suffering from loss and grief in life that I've ever seen! It highlights the importance of coping and moving on however we can with whomever we can, as well as the importance of living life and pushing forward even in the face of grief and despair. Fantastic performances are delivered all around, and if this wasn't an international film, I'm sure the academy would feel more inclined to get this film more love, especially in the acting department, cause Hidetoshi Nishijima and Toko Miura both deserve Oscars for their work here in my book! Furthermore, the story and dialogue are so insightful, carefully thought-out, touching, and well-written. From a screenplay perspective, it's truly one of the most thought-provoking and heartfelt ones I've seen or heard in years. By the time the credits rolled, I just sat in the theater processing everything I had just witnessed with this life-changing film. So overall, if you're not deterred by subtitles or a 3-hr runtime, and you wish to open your heart to one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful stories to come around in Cinema in a long time, then please do yourself the favor of seeing this masterpiece of a film! Not only my favorite film of the Year hands down, but also a very likely early contender for one of my favorites of this still-early decade!

Best movie of the year. It makes you care about each individual character and their back stories.

If you love Chekhov, this is a very beautiful and delicate tribute to his world and the creative process behind the staging of a play. All the actors are impeccable, the script fascinating.

Near-perfect, lovely film. While it runs long, the acting and writing are phenomenal, the themes and symbolism throughout are brilliant. There’s a sadness but also a quiet joy that hangs over the entire film.

You get the sense that Hamaguchi is playing with the idea of prologues, of elements

A profound film, but one that will really be too far away for impatient viewers. This dense 3-hour film is based on a short story by the famous Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, and is directed by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, who this year also delivered one of my favorite films of the year. I'm talking about Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy. The fact that the same director delivers two works that will be in my top 10 of the same year seems exceptional to me, but Drive My Car is also an excellent film that deserves the entire recognition. Drive My Car is a film loaded with symbolism, and in my interpretation represents looking forward, even with the costs that this represents, and the baggage of the past. The characters are explored in terms of the experiences that build them at the precise moments in which the story unfolds, especially as it relates to a series of events early in the narrative involving the main male character that are crucial to understanding his persona, but not to accepting where he is headed. I found this to be exceptional. Drive My Car is a thoughtful, emotional and wise drama. Its conclusion lends itself to various interpretations, but the most important thing for me is that it doesn't beat around the bush about a simple subject that is actually quite practical and of course, we all experience it. I'm talking about life's lessons, and the memories and constant pain that we tend to run away from. Because many times we are perfectly aware of it, but we do nothing to repair it, and this film understands perfectly well that it is by coming out and exposing ourselves, that will eventually bring about healing.

i had doubts but i was wrong. This is amazing. Glad to watch the whole 3 hours of it. Money well spent.

An astounding experience I had while watching this film. The director and actors are brilliant.

I can't stop but praising this movie. 3 hours that is more worth it than 90 minutes of today's biggest blockbusters.