SPOILERS AHEAD. Misaki achieves this by removing the scar in an act of purification, and moving from Japan in her act of regeneration. drive my car beatles. Yusuke's wife died . Tune into this Lucas Blue Explained to find. Acting is something thats made up or something that is a fiction, but when a performance is superb, then it becomes something beyond fiction, and you cant believe its based on something thats not real. (Is this one of the co-incidences that form a part of many Hamaguchis films. Is Night Court a real thing? Inside Sheins controversial culture, Does Noom really work? Who is Sachi? Neither could progress without the other. Hamaguchi says he recognizes himself in his protagonist, a man finding in work an escape from unresolved tragedy. This is symbolic of both Misaki and Yasuke finally confronting their pasts and moving on Misaki has left Japan to start a new life, while Yasuke has let go of the car which reminded him so much of Oto and had prevented him from moving on. Did the two continue to cultivate a relationship even after the events narrated in the film? Sign up to get alerts for movie news, reviews and recommendations. When we attempt to resist we discover how futile it is and that we have difficulty living comfortably in this world because we struggle to manipulate something that is impossible to control. We invited him to a screening, but he didnt come. Drive my car is a film that owes a lot to the dialogic apparatus of the screenplay, but is never verbose: the refinement of the writing, capable of crossing universal themes and entrusting them to such well-defined interpreters, makes it one of the most poignant works of this season. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Stream It Or Skip It: Call Me Chihiro on Netflix, a Wistful Japanese Character Drama Unburdened by Plot, The Oscars 2022 Winners You Should See First (If You Dont Really Watch Movies), Oscar Winners 2022: How To Watch All The 2022 Academy Award Winners Online, Oscars 2022 Winners And Where They Are Streaming: Full List With Live Updates, Will There Be A 'Sex/Life' Season 3 on Netflix? I have been reading his stories since I was in my 20s, but during my 30s I didnt get much of a chance to read his books. American Releases. I had to bring other elements from two other stories in the same Haruki Murakami collection [Men Without Women]. Takatsuki gets arrested after the man he beat up dies of his injuries. Up until the last scene, while there are interwoven strands of emotional complexity, the narrative adopts a straightforward, slow, indeed a linear and chronological journey (the essence of the film is of a journey) thereby leaving the viewer plenty of mediative space to develop and build a bond with Mr Kafuku, Misaki, and the supporting characters. I read it and I liked it. Kafuku, returns to Hiroshima, as a born-again actor. Is 'Demon Slayer: To The Swordsmith Village' Movie Streaming? So the two are on the same spiritual journey, both moving forward in (importantly) the same direction within the narrative structure of the film. Can you explain your views on this fascinating approach? The girl kills the burglar and runs away from the house making up her mind to tell Yamaga about this incident and beg for his forgiveness. That is why many of us are left floundering. The relationship between Yusuke and Misaki ends differently. Try 12 issues for 1 today - never miss an issue. Director Rysuke Hamaguchi Writers Haruki Murakami (short story) Rysuke Hamaguchi Takamasa e Stars Hidetoshi Nishijima Tko Miura Reika Kirishima Above all, the confession that becomes mutual confidence is typical of the narrative archetype of the journey: immobilized in the shared and limited space of a means of transport, the two interlocutors make a journey not only horizontal along the geography of the territory, but also vertically through the depths of ones own soul and of others.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'auralcrave_com-banner-1','ezslot_8',107,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-auralcrave_com-banner-1-0'); Theater, erotic intimacy, exchange of friends and the car as a place of confidence and overcoming a mourning are recurring elements in Drive my car by the Japanese director Rysuke Hamaguchi, a dramatic film of great psychological introspection that collected many awards all the world. The production of the show for which he was called, knowing its emotional instability, requires Yusuke to have an assistant to act as a driver. But then in 2018, a producer told me, You could adapt his short stories into a movie, and he suggested a story of Murakami from 2018, but that, that story seemed a bit difficult to adapt. That rotation is a representation of what this movie is about. None of the epilogue appears in the Murakami short story on which the film is based nor, for that matter, the other stories that form his collection Men Without Women (and which were used for source material). Did they become lovers? You can watch Drive My Car on Vudu's service as well. Perhaps even more impressively, its one of two films Hamaguchi released this year the other being Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, itself a cinematic triptych of romantic bite-sized fictions. As she drives off, she smiles for the first time in the film. Winner of three prizes at the 2021. The Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. And they both went, metaphorically, from being on the wrong side of the road to being on the right side of the road. Takatsuki is later arrested for beating and killing a man who took pictures of him without his consent. When I asked the actors, they said, Oh, theres no difference between those two. And yet the ending also derives from Sonias last speech in Uncle Vanya, said before the curtain finally comes down: SONIA. How Playwright Sam Hunter Processed His Own Trauma, Who Plays Kam Evans on 'Sex/Life' Season 2? Two years later, Yusuke takes the director job at a theater festival. When Yusuke arrives at a theater festival in Hiroshima to direct a production of Uncle Vanya, hes given a driver to transport him wherever he needs to go, the result of him having glaucoma as well as a DUI conviction. It seems that he seeks Kafuku out in an attempt to find himself but ends up walking in the path of self-destruction beyond the point of no return. They seem so distant in their dynamics and languages of expressions, and yet they inform each other in your dramas. Since then, they havent conversed much about having more children. And now, the Drive My Car ending, explained: During the performance, Yasuke as Uncle Vanya confronts his life and his missteps. He believes that every area of knowledge has stories worth to be told and he's sure that doing it makes the world a better place. 876, This story has been shared 821 times. In my movies, I like to be able to portray that just having a better life is not always simply better. But Ive still never met him. Drive My Car Filming Locations. But deep-seated grief lurks under the surface. Please log in using one of these methods to post your comment: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Drive My Car is based on Haruki Murakami's short story of the same name. The theater, in this sense, can be seen as a symbolic place of confidence: in the role play between actor and spectator, the relationship that is established is a moment of growth both for those who attend and for those who act. This is how Kafuku meets Misaki Watari (Tko Miura). That confession came as he was recently speaking via an interpreter in Los Angeles. Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Review: In Drive My Car, Rysuke Hamaguchi delivers a haunting masterpiece of art and life, Inside the L.A. Film Critics best of 2021 vote, from Drive My Car to Barb & Star, The best movies of 2021 and where to find them, The Scream 6 publicity stunts hit closer to home, prompting 911 calls in Sonoma, Review: Andrea Riseborough and campy Please Baby Please deconstruct gender and the 1950s, Bruce Willis steps out with friends after announcement of dementia diagnosis, Gayle King surprises Angela Bassett with her Whats Love Got to Do With It dress. All updates to this site are announced on Twitter @japanauthor. Drive My Car Ending Explained What Did The Red Saab 900 Symbolize Dmt. The retailers demise explained, Is UNICEF a good charity? Kafuku the plays the role of Vanya in the play and is greeted by a standing ovation at the end. What actually revs his creative engine are the soul-bearing exchanges that can occur within the confines of an outdated but immaculately kept two-door automobile. Her calm handling of the vehicle impresses Yusuke, as does . Quick recap: actor Ysuke Kafuku, four years on from losing his wife, decides to. "Drive My Car," based on a story by Haruki Murakami, is a movie about artists and their many forms of collaborationcursed and blessed, inescapable and ill-chosen, behind the scenes and on. After the passing of Oto, Kafuku joins a theatre company in a production of the play Uncle Vanya, by Anton Chekov. Reluctant to accept this service, he eventually forms a bond with the woman, Misaki (Toko Miura), who chauffeurs him around the city in a red Saab. Drive My Car Ending Explained Movie. 'Drive My Car . What matters is that it is clear that Misaki too has overcome her grief, finally serene and ready to start a new life thanks to the experience shared with the actor. Except for now. In short, why did she have to come to a new country to complete whatever journey she was on. She is working in Korea. I like that scene and this movement of the rotation of the wheel and the tape. They seem to have a happy, healthy relationship. The model is not that of the confessional but of a mutual growth, of mutual belonging. Drive My Car is predominantly based on Haruki Murakamis namesake short story from the 2014 collection Men without Women. While developing the project, director Rysuke Hamaguchi (Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy) realized that the original short story doesnt have enough material for a feature-length production, so he added sections from two other stories from Men without Women: Scheherazade and Kino.. Advertisement Drama Carlos Aguilar We recommend you to read it only after watching the movie, and not before, in order to preserve the pleasure of the first vision. All about the workings of this global humanitarian organization, Bull (2021): the crime thriller movies twisted ending, explained, Did Cocaine Bear kill anyone? Yasuke takes the stage for the performance instead. The confessional, in religious practice, is a place that is anything but equal. After a day of rehearsals, Takatsuki reveals that Oto had completed the ending to the story she had relayed to Kafuku: The footsteps the girl heard was from a burglar. Tell me about this narrative decision. However, as Watari drives through a wide and bright road, she only thinks of the future. Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi. (After all across the film they are building an increasingly deeper but unspoken bond.) As she leaves the store, she gets into Yasukes red Saab, and she drives away, having removed herself from Japan, a place that tormented her and prevented her from moving past her feelings of sadness and regret. Assessing the truth behind the existence of the mind power, What happened to Kmart? And the flashbacks only allow the audiences into a certain point in time in the past. It's titled "Drive My Car" because the main character, Kafuku, has had a minor accident and lost his driving privileges. It's available on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes for $6.99 to rent or $19.99 to buy. The movies final scene finds Watari in South Korea, with the COVID-19 Pandemic is in full swing. Drive My Car makes the best use of its lengthy runtime (2 hours 59 minutes) and tells the story that is complete, hauntingly beautiful, and complex. For Mubi subscribers, the movie will be available to watch it without a premium from April 1st. 647, This story has been shared 606 times. View all posts by The Author. She had also gotten a dog and they both drive through an empty road. We must keep on living, Kafuku says while hugging Misaki, both getting closure from their past. This emotionally overwhelming adaptation of a Haruki Murakami short story confirms Rysuke Hamaguchis standing as one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. The epiphany happens in "Drive My Car" on a snow-covered hill in northern Japan, to which Yusuke and Misaki travel in Yusuke's classic red Saab. Indeed little interpretation is offered up on a plate throughout the film and yet because of the pacing and the running time, the narrative gives the viewer time to fill in the gaps. Initially conflicted, their relationship seems to improve just before Kji is arrested for being guilty of an assault. The car for Yusuke is an impenetrable armor: however, it will be a curious game of fate, once again, to reveal it. They have suffered but they have in a Buddhist sense regenerated as part of the cycle of sasra or in the Shinto sense a process of purification has taken place. Did Mr Kafuku finally lose his sight? When Watari decided not to get her mother out before the landslide, she knew that she was condemning Sachi as well, and she still did it. Sex/Life Season 2: Adam Demos Tops His Famous Full Frontal Moment With, Uh, Tip. The camera follows the characters and enhances their inner processes of mourning and self-acceptance. What can we do? But the story itself is only about 40 pages long, so I didnt think that there was enough material to create a film. We shall hear the angels. The common theme in Murakamis short stories and Uncle Vanya is alienation, which is a major theme in Hamaguchis Drive My Car as well. It all happens so quickly and with no immediate logic with what has taken place previously. The emotionally overwhelming Drive My Car brings him to a new level of mastery. 460, This story has been shared 439 times. 518, This story has been shared 509 times. Then the audience realizes thats something that he needs to let go but struggles to. Before the performance of Uncle Vanya can commence, Takatsuki is arrested and it falls to Yasuke to take on the main role which proves to be a greatly cathartic experience for him. By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. Yusuke lives for his work and for his partner and, when he learns of his constant betrayals, he decides to keep quiet. Rather than trying to act on their own, the actors depend on trusting the other person and reacting to them when performing. The Japanese drama up for four Oscars, including best picture is based on a short story by Japan's most acclaimed writer. They have a happy marriage, but Oto suddenly disappears and leaves behind a secret. The pair are initially rather quiet around each other, but as the film goes on they become closer, slowly revealing their secrets, trauma, and grief to one another with one particularly emotional scene late on seeing Misaki explain how her mother had died in a landslide, which she blames herself for. The story revolves around an actor, Kafaku, and his obsession with finding out what made his wife cheat on him. In the role of the titular character, Kafuku ends up casting Takatsuki, his wifes final lover, much to the surprise of Takatsuki and everyone around them due to the age disparity between the actor and the character. The story begins as he and his wife Oto (Reika Kirishima) mourn the death of their child. 'Drive My Car' was filmed in its entirety in Japan, especially in Tokyo and Hiroshima Prefecture. Whats happening in present time is something that you cannot really define, but if you use a flashback then you are explaining it. Hamaguchis critically exalted masterwork Drive My Car, which has been adapted for the screen from a short story of the same name by revered author Haruki Murakami, tracks the winding roads of two individuals, a rider and a chauffeur. That scene that you just mention is about the only flashback I used or something close to a flashback. Perhaps their journeys were destined to converge before they moved on together. It signifies forward movement, and yet the tape just rotates and rotates meaning that it also returns. And yet, Watari quickly learns how to drive the car without causing any discomfort to her passenger. Drive My Cars three-hour running time is deliberately paced to build up the story of Yusukes grief. 2 Drive My Car Ending Explained: How Sachi And Oto Died? The latter believes he caused Otos death for not returning to his home sooner. Some of the most thought provoking articles on the internet.". The burglar seen her half-naked and had attempted to rape her. Theres also pain that comes along with it. Synopsis. At this point in the film, the story seems to indicate that she knows that Kafuku is aware of her infidelity. Hence the scene is one of the elements and ideas (in his words) that Hamaguchi Ryusuke has added from his own imagination. Both are witnessed here (and throughout the whole film) in many ways. 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Ultimately it is about people having to accept that they must seek a state of peace on the vicissitudes of their life, and that beyond that perhaps they will only find real peace once they give everything up, and then when they die. Now Mr Kafuku has given up his beloved car, which clearly performs the role of a Shintoesque kami; Misaki has at last undergone the surgery that removes her scar a Shinto purification and a rather obvious sign that she has moved on. And it shows the realm of the dream for Kafuku and his emotional state. So even though its sort of temporary, that place gives him the comfort. So he hires a woman who is 24 to drive him around, and they talk, and Kafuku tells some of his story to the young woman driver, but most of it is a reverie as he recalls the past. If you are puzzled by the films ending, you are not alone. 606, This story has been shared 518 times. The plot of "Drive My Car" doesn't really work that way in any case. Besides, she speaks Korean fluently, and it is possible that she could work as a Korean-Japanese translator. (LogOut/ I am always hoping that I will be able to capture that moment when the actor and the text really become connected, he said.