Why so much hype?

Did you people see the same film I saw?

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I'm DRIVEN to love this! There is simply so much to love about this movie. I've been waiting to see this for so many years, I can't express how happy I am to finally see it. An intelligent script, with direction that does it justice. Even all the side characters are brilliantly played. This movie never grabbed the public's attention the way it should have. It's a film that reeks of its time and place. The first 38 minutes of the running time are particularly hard to endure. . I'm not sure whether it is really a guilty pleasure or simply a film I remember as being one. So why do I like it so much? The characters are wonderful in the movie. The film unfolds in two halves. I remember watching this and being spellbound by the last third of the movie. 7/10.

I saw the whole movie, it has been over ten years but now I can finally speak about it. I watched the whole movie because I wanted to see if the ridiculousness, stupidity and tripe of the first ten minutes could be topped, it was over and over throughout the entire run of the waste of celluloid (using the term "film" could be misinterpreted as having a certain degree of art in it). I understand why Formula 1 sent them packing, they read the script. C.A.R.T. on the other hand was so desperate they never read the script before then after the movie was out they were so embarrassed for taking part that they shut the series down and hid from public scorn. This movie was so stupidly bad that I cannot even recommend it for viewing as a bad movie, there is no fun in watching it, just pain.

...but it can be hard to find sometimes. I remember, when it first appeared in theaters, some friends called it "Rocky on wheels." That, it definitely is not. More of Stallone's story filtered through in Rocky. Here, I have the impression that half of the story was jettisoned for "slowing down the action." For there is plenty of action. The speed and horror of crashing are well communicated, as is - strangely enough - the simple thrill of racing. Harlin does a good job with the action sequences, making the moment of impact truly impressive. Racing relies so much on instinct rather than preplanned thought; the pit crew and support staff can only prepare and plan so much - the race still revolves around the driver. Racing is an old sport, and any tried-and-true fans who rent or buy this film hoping accurate, down-to-the-nub details will be disappointed. Harlin and Stallone take plenty of dramatic license. The famous chase through the streets of Chicago? Come on. While obviously something like that would never happen, I understand that Harlin and Stallone were trying to communicate the rage of a rejected young man in a unique and forceful manner. I can allow for that; but the chase went on far too long, almost as though it were enjoying the spectacle for its own sake. Just don't say you weren't warned.Still, in between the racing montages and the overly-loud boom-boom music, there are some good parts. Robert Sean Leonard of "House" fame turns a really great performance. Stallone is strangely given little to do - the story of his character, Joe Tanto, is truncated, giving the impression that is where a lot of cutting happened so the film focuses more on Jimmy Bly (a suitably intense Kip Pardue). This is unfortunate, because I speculate that it is Tanto's back-story that is the real catalyst for the final climatic race. Certain elements of the story felt forced as a result. Our introduction to Joe Tanto happens with little warning or preamble, and exactly why Carl Henry (Burt Reynolds) thought Tanto could help the situation is never clearly stated. Stallone is perfectly cast as the old veteran with a few good races left in him; but , save for the ending, all his character does is dispense advice throughout the film. We see his impact on others, but never really see the impact of events on him. And this is ultimately what drags Driven down: is it about Bly (Pardue) or Tanto (Stallone)? They assembled some good young acting talent, had Stallone ready to play the embattled-but-charming man of wisdom, had Burt Reynolds ready to chew up any scenery he was given. What was 'wrong' in the '80s for Stallone was 'right' for this movie: if it was more about his character, Joe Tanto, his relationship with Carl Henry (Reynolds), and the changes Tanto had to make to help a younger driver and allow himself to get back a little dignity, suddenly you'd have a pretty good film on your hands. Instead, what we have is an assemblage of racing montages with fragments of a story in between - a real wasted opportunity.

It's hard to write a review about something so horrible in every single aspect: acting, scripting and, above all, the representation of Indycar races... I guess if at least one in the entire troupe has ever watched a real race in his life! Stupid and unrealistic things keep happening all the time, without logic or respect for the intelligence of the unlucky spectator. I'm not spending any more time reviewing this movie, I only hope that no one wants to see it after these lines. I'm a huge race fan and this movies is insulting and a true shame... Arghh! I've been DRIVEN mad! Not yet ten lines! This movie sucks... really sucks! I got it!