Big Driver (2014)

Big Driver (2014)

Another Stephen King story… about a writer. This time, it’s a female writer.

I usually like to read certain books before seeing the films. But sometimes I decide not to see the films because I’m too afraid of being disappointed or of changing the images in my vivid imagination. That’s the case with Thinner, Cujo and Firestarter, for example. On the other hand, I loved the adaptations of The Green Mile (1999) and Misery (1990).

I don’t know if I’ll see The Long Walk (2025). I loved the book so much that I hoped there wouldn’t be a screen adaptation.

One of the few films I preferred to the short story was Secret Window (2004), also starring Maria Bello, incidentally. Johnny Depp brought a lot to the character.

As for Maria Bello, I’m not one of her biggest fans, although I really liked A History of Violence (2005), one of my favourite Cronenberg films. However, she does a wonderful job here. This film allowed me to fully appreciate her. And what a pleasure to see one of my rock idols, Joan Jett, in a small role!

I first discovered Maria Bello in Coyote Ugly (2000), which was far from being an incredible film, but rather a very long, entertaining music video. She appears in the very good World Trade Centre (2006), the excellent Prisoners (2013) and the very bad Lights Out (2016). I still haven’t seen The 5th Wave (2016), but I’m especially keen to watch Third Person (2013), which seems to have an incredible cast, including Olivia Wilde, Liam Neeson, Mila Kunis, Adrien Brody, Casey Affleck, James Franco, Kim Basinger and Maria Bello. Well, it looks like a ridiculous romance, but I’m going to give it a try anyway. As for Demonic (2015), it looks like a decent horror film. To be confirmed! But today I’m very happy that Maria has joined the NCIS team, because it’s a series I’ve watched a lot.

Let’s get back to the film!

Big Driver shows, once again, how quickly life can change. It’s always like that with Stephen King! It’s almost always very normal people, poor or middle class, who experience a small event that changes everything and sends them into a downward spiral. We see that no one is immune to trauma. We see the damage that these traumas can cause. But we also see a person who doesn’t want to do what is necessary (go to the hospital, see the police) and who prefers to go it alone and do as they please. Yes, that can be very understandable!

Sinking into madness is also accessible to everyone. All it takes is making the wrong choice, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and meeting the wrong person. So never forget to be careful and aware!

There are no real monsters in this story. Monstrous humans are often even more terrifying. They are not only found under the bed or in the cupboard. They may even have an adorable face before showing their true colours. They may be there to help you… just before destroying you completely.

As a writer, there are quite a few sentences here that strike a chord with me:
‘Never tell an author they’re writing rubbish. It brings out the worst in us. I take my job as a writer very seriously.’
‘I’m going to write everything down. Everything that comes to mind, anyway…’

It’s also funny that the smart car talks to the heroine. ‘Things happen when they’re meant to!’ A philosopher too! King has always been ahead of his time. Although Knight Rider (K200) was too, in the end!

It’s a pretty gruesome story, with one scene that’s particularly difficult to watch. Definitely not for the faint-hearted, but Big Driver is still a very interesting film and worth watching once for everyone else. Some things are perhaps resolved a little too easily, such as killing someone by mistake… but then realising that they were a scumbag! But better that than the opposite. We don’t watch films to feel bad, in principle. And a little justice feels good from time to time!