The Driver

PG

Released Jul 10, 1978

1h 31m

Crime

Drama

List

79%

29 Reviews

Tomatometer

77%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

An enigmatic man of fast cars and few words, the Driver (Ryan O'Neal) excels at maneuvering getaway vehicles through the tightest of spots, making him quite in demand in criminal circles. His skill and notoriety, however, infuriate the Detective (Bruce Dern), who becomes obsessed with taking the Driver down. Luckily for the speed-loving anti-hero, the Player (Isabelle Adjani), a gorgeous and resourceful woman, is around to help him elude the Detective.

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Critics Consensus

A tough, highly stylized thriller with amazing sound design and car chases.

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craig p

I like this movie, some of of scenes are 1st rate, what the driver does to a orange Mercedes are spectacular, very interesting choice of music here and there makes it unique, I think this movie attracted more of a following as time passed which is unusual.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/11/24

Full Review

Alistair B

If you liked either Mad Max,The Vanishing Point or Dirty Mary Crazy Larry chances are this will be right up your Avenue.There is some great driving scenes in this & I like the antagonistic Relationship between The Two Main Characters.It's hard to believe that Steve McQueen turned this Part down but Ryan O'Neal is great in this Minimal dialogue Part.Like Layer Cake more than a few years later all The Characters have nick names instead of real ones.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/04/23

Full Review

Dhanu K

Already from the get-go, The Driver proves to keep its promise as a small, yet intense and fast paced thriller filled with first-class cinematography and outstanding performances that is a gratifying experience all the way through.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Ryan O'Neill is surprisingly effective as a staid macho drive with Isabelle Adjani as the damsel witness. Amazing action sequences symbolic of the chaos of the film

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Was interested in this film because of Drive, but that film is way better than this. Plot makes little sense. The Driver, is meant to be a super-smart criminal, who can't be caught. Yet opening scene he is being pursed by multiple cop cars. As soon as he shakes them off, more appear. At this point you would have to think he is doomed. The more cops he runs of the road, the more attention he brings to himself. The entire city police force would have been after him. Yet somehow they can't set up a road-block. And why does the driver pay witnesses to not see him heists? Wouldn't it be better to hide somewhere, rather than have a person know who you are? Or plan the heists better, so that there isn't a million people around to see you? In Drive, Ryan Gosling's character, uses stealth and smarts to evade the police. Having a scanner is something he has, that the "smart" Driver should have - but doesn't. Very bland characters that don't develop, or have a backstory. This is just an excuse for gratuitous car chase scenes, that don't any sense, in context of the story.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

My fat finger prevented me giving this movie 5 stars which is what it deserves. In a word superb. Wonderful noir and wonderful casting. Great fun. Adjani was incomparable.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

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Walter Hill

Director

Ryan O'Neal

The Driver

Bruce Dern

The Detective

Isabelle Adjani

The Player

Ronee Blakley

The Connection

Matt Clark

Red Plainclothesman

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Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

This influential petrolhead classic stars O’Neal as a taciturn getaway driver (think Ryan Gosling in Drive) caught in a cat’n’mouse game with Bruce Dern’s crazy-eyed copper.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 11, 2022

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

This is a thoroughly watchable, hardboiled, thrillingly cynical and ruthless drama and Dern’s flinching, beta-male face – in contrast to O’Neal’s tough purity – is a joy.

Rated: 5/5

Nov 10, 2022

Full Review

Arthur Knight

Hollywood Reporter

While we can readily identify these characters, we can't identify with them simply because Hill never bothers to tell us what makes them tick.

Aug 7, 2018

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…Hill’s realistic, tarmac-hugging approach to the action was out of touch with the high-flying stunt-driven action of the period, but the film has endured due to the labyrinthine plotting and the sweaty, physical intensity of the LA locations…

Rated: 5/5

Dec 9, 2023

Full Review

Mitchell Beaupre

Paste Magazine

It’s a film that exists in the bleary hours between dusk and dawn, with Hill emphasizing shot economy and patience in his visual storytelling while his characters trade barbed-wire, matter-of-fact dialogue.

Rated: 10/10

Sep 29, 2023

Full Review

Roger Moore

Movie Nation

Iconic...a minimalist jewel.

Jan 31, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

An enigmatic man of fast cars and few words, the Driver (Ryan O'Neal) excels at maneuvering getaway vehicles through the tightest of spots, making him quite in demand in criminal circles. His skill and notoriety, however, infuriate the Detective (Bruce Dern), who becomes obsessed with taking the Driver down. Luckily for the speed-loving anti-hero, the Player (Isabelle Adjani), a gorgeous and resourceful woman, is around to help him elude the Detective.

Director: Walter Hill
Screenwriter: Walter Hill
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: EMI Films Ltd., 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 1978, Original
Release Date (DVD): May 22, 2007
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Mono