The Take
The Driver is worth watching as a lean, practical neo-noir that prioritizes skill over spectacle. Slop Score: 22.
Ryan O'Neal's unnamed wheelman faces off against Bruce Dern's obsessed detective in a Los Angeles underworld defined by code and consequence. Walter Hill's auteur control yields car chases that still slap through real stunts and tension, not committee notes or modern gloss.
The Verdict
Stream or buy the Blu-ray. The Driver rewards repeat viewings with its tight execution and refusal to pander.
Slop Score: 22.
Common Questions
What is The Driver about?
A skilled unnamed getaway driver evades an obsessed detective in 1970s Los Angeles. Minimalist neo-noir with epic practical chases.
Is The Driver woke?
No. Pure 1978 crime thriller focused on skill and pursuit, zero ideology.
Is The Driver based on a true story?
No. Original screenplay by Walter Hill with fictional unnamed characters.
