Big Driver (2014)

A famous mystery writer sets out for revenge after a brutal attack.

Director:

Mikael Salomon

Writers:

Stephen King (story), Richard Christian Matheson (teleplay)

Stars:

Maria Bello, Ann Dowd, Will Harris

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Maria Bello	...	Tess Thorne
Ann Dowd	...	Ramona Norvell
Will Harris	...	Lester
Joan Jett	...	Betsy Neal
Olympia Dukakis	...	Doreen
Jennifer Kydd	...	Patsy
Andre Myette	...	Lester's Brother
Juanita Peters	...	Molly
Mary-Colin Chisholm	...	Janine
Kim Parkhill	...	Leslie
Deborah Allen	...	Doris
Tara Nicodemo	...	Lady Cop
Roland Marko Simmonds	...	Cop
Mike Taylor	...	Limo Driver
Lee J. Campbell	...	Gun Store Owner

Storyline

Driving home along a generally unused country road following a speaking engagement, famed mystery novelist Tess Thorne experiences a flat tire on her car. She accepts the help of who she believes is a good Samaritan who stops to help her, but who instead rapes her, leaving her submerged in shallow water in a drainage pipe as dead. She found out that he actually orchestrated her getting the flat tire just moments before the rape. Alive, she, in shock, is able to make her way home, but she does not go to the hospital, dealing with her wounds herself, does not call the police, or tell any of her friends or acquaintances how she sustained her obvious injuries. Once the issue of what happened to her settles into herself, she decides to use her skills as an investigative writer to find out the reason behind what happened - if she was a random or targeted victim - and especially if the latter, how best to use that information to her advantage. Using her stories' grandmotherly heroine, Doreen...

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Plot Keywords:

based on short story | woman with a gun | revenge | drainage pipe | revenge killing | 

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Taglines:

No bad deed goes unpunished

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 October 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Big Driver

Filming Locations:

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Films, Ostar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

The second film Maria Bello played in a Stephen King adaptation, the first being Secret Window (2004).

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Quotes

Ramona Norvell: [showing her true collars] You're a crappy writer... and a crappy guest speaker
Tess Thorne: [disgusted] You said you like my work?
Ramona Norvell: I lied those old ladies there a joke. I always knew my son would be something special. You were perfect for him, should've killed you I don't know what you thinking coming here but this is what you get
[the gun clicks]
Tess Thorne: [after overpowering and stabbing her] First rule of gun ownership... always keep the first chamber empty... it leads to people accidentally shooting themselves. You ...

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Connections

Referenced in Lavalantula (2015)

User Reviews

View more than once

This is written after my second viewing, not having remembered the first viewing when I first got a copy of it, judge that how you like.

Unabashed fan of anything Stephen King and almost anything that Maria Bello is in, this is a good watch. It starts off at a pedestrian enough pace, has a shocking bit that he viewer has to digest then powers on and builds to the climax like almost all Stephen Kings writing does with twists along the way.

Some of the story is a little predictable, but the acting by all concerned is well above average which made the movie quite believable. No silly mistakes and drawn out sequences where the villain gains a temporary upper hand like most revenge movies was a nice change.

Overall an enjoyable movie, but not for the faint hearted.