Drive My Car (2021)

DVD CASE/SIDE

Length of film: 179 Minutes  

Rated:  15

Genre: Drama

Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi

Starring: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, Reika Kirishima, Masaki Okada

IMDB Rank: 7.6/10

Part 1 Time:  96 Minutes 

Part 2 Time:   83 Minutes

Where does the first part end? Yûsuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima) sits at his desk overlooking the water. He is re-watching the filmed scene between Koji (Masaki Okada) and Lee Yoon-a (Park Yu-rim). Was Koji a good choice to play the role of Uncle Vanya?

Final line of dialogue on the first part: No dialogue present in the last scene of part one.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “Will you tell me the whole truth afterwards?” cassette tape plays in Yûsuke Kafuku’s car of Oto Kafuku (Reika Kirishima) reading her screenplay.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? None, music plays in the background with no dialogue, we wonder what Yûsuke Kafuku is pondering as he works.

Which part is better? Part two is significantly better as Yûsuke Kafuku and Misaki Watari (Tôko Miura) come to terms with their loses and begin to form a very special relationship. We are also given insight into the relationship between Koji and Oto Kafuku in a captivating conversation in Yûsuke’s car.

Academy Awards: Best International Feature Film, Best Picture (Nominated), Best Director (Nominated), Best Adapted Screenplay (Nominated)