Director: Walter Hill
Written by: Walter Hill
Cast: Ryan O’Neal, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Adjani, Ronee Blakley

Year / Country: 1978, USA / UK
Running Time: 88 mins.

Ryan O’Neal stars as the Driver, a character defined by his cool, controlled demeanor. In the film’s opening, he steals a car to use as a getaway vehicle for a casino heist, instantly establishing his profession. We quickly understand that he takes his job very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that it’s not about the money for him, but about maintaining his professional integrity.

The Driver is smooth, fearless, and intensely focused. His obsessive commitment to professionalism drives the narrative of the film, reminiscent of Le Samouraï, where a similar code of conduct defines the protagonist. The film has an existential quality, with each character simply doing what they do best, without personal attachments or backstories. They aren’t even given names, only titles like ‘The Driver’, ‘The Detective’, and The Connection’.

Bruce Dern delivers an outstanding performance as the relentless cop determined to catch the Driver. His character devises a trap, using minor criminals in a staged bank robbery as bait. What follows is a tense game of cat and mouse. In the first half of the film, director Walter Hill expertly builds momentum through tight pacing and memorable sequences, most notably a standout scene in an underground parking garage where the Driver showcases his remarkable driving skills.

Unfortunately, much of the tension dissipates in the second half, as the film loses some of the momentum it carefully built. However, the final moments provide a satisfying conclusion. The Driver is a solid film and a cult classic in its own right, with Hill already demonstrating his potential as a filmmaker. The casting is spot-on, and while it doesn’t quite reach greatness, it remains a must-see if only for the three impeccably realistic chase sequences.

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Biography: Walter Hill (1942, California) has been an active member of the Hollywood community since 1967 when he became a 2nd assistant director. Ever since, he has produced, written and directed a significant number of movies. He once said in an interview that he considers all the films that he directed as westerns. If you look closely, you can see western touches, such as revolvers, Winchester rifles and cowboy hats in all of his work. Hill frequently works with character actors James Remar, David Patrick Kelly, Brion James and Ed O’Ross.

Filmography (a selection): Hard Times (1975), The Driver (1978), The Warriors (1979), The Long Riders (1980), Southern Comfort (1981), 48 Hrs. (1982), Streets of Fire (1984), Brewster’s Millions (1985), Crossroads (1986), Extreme Prejudice (1987), Red Heat (1988), Johnny Handsome (1989), Another 48 Hrs. (1990), Tales from the Crypt (1989-91, TV-episodes), Trespass (1992), Geronimo: An American Legend (1993), Wild Bill (1995), Last Man Standing (1995), Deadwood (2004, TV-episode), Broken Trail (2006, TV), Dead for a Dollar (2022)