“The Stunt Driver” follows Ken Carter, a world champion stunt driver who tries to jump a mile over the St. Lawrence River in a rocket car. It’s based on a true story and inspired by the National Film Board of Canada’s 1981 documentary, “The Devil at Your Heels.”
Many viewers will likely be disappointed when discovering that “The Stunt Driver” doesn’t have a lot of firepower — by that, I’m referring to the budget. The lack of massive resources means that it’s no “The Fall Guy.” You’re not going to see a plethora of Hollywood-style recreations of the death-defying jumps. That’s where the archival footage comes in, including many of Ken’s actual stunts, supplemented by close-up shots of Jay Baruchel (Ken Carter) inside the vehicle. It shifts between several aspect ratios, changing from a biopic to a documentary-like approach. Director of photography Sara Mishara matches the faux-documentary style with handheld camerawork and crash zooms when in the “boxy” ratio. These scenes are shot on grainy 16mm film to correspond with the 1970s setting. This makes the transitions largely seamless as editor Reg Harkema intermixes the real footage.
The visual style allows you to step inside the head of Ken. The full-screen format gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look into Ken’s life. The widescreen shots emphasize his facial expressions and emotional reactions to the danger surrounding him. Once the black bars disappear, the magnitude of what he is attempting to accomplish is emphasized.
Nonetheless, this straightforward approach limits deeper investment at times. While examining all of the pieces that go into a stunt like this, writer-director Michael Dowse sometimes forgets about the stuntman himself. That is, until the final act. While it seems like Dowse’s screenplay is “buying time” throughout the first two-thirds of the 99-minute runtime, it strikes a chord at the hour mark. When a life is at stake, it impacts more than just one person. “The Stunt Driver” explores themes of legacy, determination, exploitation and obsession. Ken Carter is a man who wants nothing more than to be remembered — at the cost of everyone around him. And eventually, himself.
“The Stunt Driver” is listed as a comedy, but the dramatics take center stage over laughs. Most of the humor comes from the sheer absurdity of the characters and what they’re attempting to accomplish.
Baruchel (Ken Carter) has had a busy September, appearing in “Tiny Fugitives” and now starring in “The Stunt Driver.” Ken isn’t a “polished” individual, and Baruchel conveys this through a raw, rambling performance. He screams and shouts but also shows the genuine fear that the character experiences.
“We have a mutual respect for one another. But yeah, no, he’s full of sh-t and a coward.”
Ed Helms (Dick Keller) acts as a source of normalcy to ground Baruchel’s flamboyance. This isn’t a performance that audiences will remember, but it is an important one. As other characters are yelling, Helms remains subdued to emphasize the life-or-death reality of Ken’s aspirations. At first, it’s a very exaggerated performance from Ben Foster (Evel Knievel). While he initially acts as a “rival” to Baruchel’s character, there is some depth. Laurence Leboeuf (Gloria) is the main source of emotion in the film. Portraying Ken’s wife, Leboeuf uses silence more than words to convey her feelings. Despite being underutilized in the story, she does enough to round out that portion of Ken’s personal life.
“The Stunt Driver” offers an introspective look at the existence of a dreamer. Even though it cost him his life, it’s probably a story that Ken Carter would be proud to see.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
