Drive My Car (2021), directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, is a slow-burning Japanese drama about grief, communication, and human connection. Based on a short story by Haruki Murakami, the film unfolds with quiet intensity, exploring how people process loss and the ways art can serve as a bridge between pain and understanding.
Detailed Summary
Opening: The Life of Yūsuke and Oto
The film begins with Yūsuke Kafuku (played by Hidetoshi Nishijima), a theater actor and director, and his wife Oto (played by Reika Kirishima). They share a mysterious but intimate relationship—Oto is a TV screenwriter who invents stories while making love, and Yūsuke often listens to her recount them afterward. This artistic and emotional exchange forms the core of their bond.
One day, Yūsuke discovers Oto’s affair with a younger actor, Kōji Takatsuki, but he says nothing, choosing to preserve their delicate balance. Before he can confront her, Oto dies suddenly from a cerebral hemorrhage. Her death leaves Yūsuke devastated, haunted by what was left unsaid.
The Hiroshima Theater Residency
Two years later, Yūsuke is invited to direct a multilingual stage adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” in Hiroshima. The production involves actors speaking different languages—including Japanese, Mandarin, Korean Sign Language, and Tagalog—creating an atmosphere of cross-cultural communication and mutual understanding.
Due to a previous tragic incident at the theater, the festival requires that directors not drive themselves. Reluctantly, Yūsuke agrees to have a chauffeur, Misaki Watari (played by Tōko Miura), a quiet and reserved young woman who drives his beloved red Saab 900. Over time, their silence-filled drives become the emotional spine of the film.
Building Trust and Confrontation
During rehearsals, Yūsuke casts none other than Takatsuki—the man who had an affair with his late wife—as Uncle Vanya. This act of artistic control and emotional masochism reveals Yūsuke’s complex relationship with guilt and forgiveness.
Meanwhile, Takatsuki begins to unravel, his own insecurities and reckless behavior becoming apparent. In contrast, Yūsuke maintains composure but internally wrestles with his pain. Misaki, observing all of this from the driver’s seat, becomes an unexpected confidante.
Gradually, Yūsuke and Misaki begin to open up about their pasts. Misaki reveals that she too has lived with guilt: she blames herself for her mother’s death in a landslide, feeling she could have saved her. Yūsuke shares his regret for not confronting Oto before her death. Their shared sense of unresolved grief draws them closer.
Movie Ending
In the film’s final act, Yūsuke and Misaki embark on a road trip to Hokkaido, Misaki’s hometown, where the landslide occurred. The landscape is vast, cold, and quiet—symbolic of their inner desolation. Together, they visit the ruins of Misaki’s childhood home, standing in the snow among the remnants of her past.
There, Misaki breaks down and confesses the guilt she carries for not saving her mother. Yūsuke, moved by her honesty, finally allows himself to cry and confront his own grief. It’s a moment of mutual catharsis—two wounded souls acknowledging that neither could have saved the ones they loved.
After this emotional release, they embrace. The camera lingers on the empty, snow-covered landscape, suggesting healing through connection, not closure.
The film ends with an epilogue: some time later, Misaki is seen driving Yūsuke’s red Saab in South Korea, wearing a mask (hinting at a post-pandemic world). The dog in the passenger seat suggests she has begun a new chapter, perhaps finding peace and purpose after her journey with Yūsuke. His fate is left open to interpretation, but it implies he has given her both his car and his trust—a symbol of renewal.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, Drive My Car does not have any post-credits scenes. The film concludes with the epilogue described above, which serves as both an emotional and narrative closure. Once the credits roll, the story is complete.
Type of Movie
Drive My Car is a psychological drama and literary adaptation. It’s a meditative exploration of grief, love, and the power of communication through art. The pacing is deliberately slow, giving viewers space to reflect on silence, time, and unspoken emotions.
Cast
- Hidetoshi Nishijima as Yūsuke Kafuku
- Tōko Miura as Misaki Watari
- Reika Kirishima as Oto Kafuku
- Masaki Okada as Kōji Takatsuki
- Park Yu-rim as Lee Yoon-a (Korean Sign Language actress)
Film Music and Composer
The score is minimal and composed by Eiko Ishibashi, who creates an atmosphere of calm melancholy. The music is sparse, reflective, and often merges with the hum of the car engine, emphasizing the film’s meditative tone.
Filming Locations
The film was primarily shot in Hiroshima and Hokkaido, Japan. Hiroshima serves as both a literal and symbolic space—its history of destruction and reconstruction mirrors the themes of healing and forgiveness. Hokkaido’s wintry landscapes in the final act highlight emotional isolation and the possibility of renewal.
Awards and Nominations
Drive My Car received widespread critical acclaim and numerous awards, including:
- Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (2022)
- Cannes Film Festival (2021): Best Screenplay and FIPRESCI Prize
- Golden Globe nomination for Best Non-English Language Film
- Multiple Japan Academy Prize awards including Best Picture and Best Director
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi expanded Murakami’s short story into a three-hour epic by incorporating elements from other Murakami works.
- The film’s multilingual theater production was inspired by real cross-cultural performances Hamaguchi attended.
- The red Saab 900 became a central metaphor during development—it represents constancy, memory, and the passage of time.
- Hidetoshi Nishijima learned to perform sections of “Uncle Vanya” fluently in rehearsal style, ensuring realism in the theater scenes.
Inspirations and References
The movie is based on Haruki Murakami’s short story “Drive My Car” from the collection Men Without Women. It also draws thematic elements from Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, particularly the ideas of unfulfilled longing and the endurance of pain.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
No alternate ending is officially known, though some unused footage reportedly extended the theater rehearsal sequences. Hamaguchi stated that the epilogue with Misaki was always intended to be the film’s quiet conclusion, symbolizing emotional rebirth.
Book Adaptations and Differences
While Murakami’s short story focuses mainly on Yūsuke and Misaki’s car rides and discussions, Hamaguchi expands the world significantly. The film delves into Oto’s character, her relationship with Takatsuki, and the stage adaptation subplot, giving the narrative a broader emotional scope.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- Oto’s post-intimacy storytelling in the opening sequence.
- Yūsuke silently witnessing Oto’s infidelity but choosing not to confront her.
- The multilingual Uncle Vanya rehearsals, emphasizing human connection beyond language.
- Misaki’s confession in the snowy ruins of her home.
Iconic Quotes
- “We must live our lives… no matter how many mistakes we make.”
- “When you drive, you can’t run away from yourself.”
- “Chekhov said, if you want to work on your art, work on your life.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The red Saab mirrors Murakami’s own passion for vintage cars.
- The cassette tapes Oto recorded for Yūsuke symbolize memory and ritual; he listens to her voice rehearsing lines daily.
- The film’s three-hour runtime mirrors the length of a full Uncle Vanya performance—another nod to endurance.
Trivia
- The film’s dialogue in multiple languages was performed without dubbing; all actors learned their lines phonetically.
- It was the first Japanese film ever nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars.
- The car used in filming was a genuine 1987 Saab 900 Turbo, fully restored for production.
Why Watch?
Watch Drive My Car if you love introspective cinema that rewards patience. It’s for viewers who appreciate emotional realism, literary storytelling, and films that explore silence as deeply as dialogue. This isn’t a film that shouts—it whispers, and those whispers stay with you long after it ends.
Director’s Other Movies
- Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021)
- Happy Hour (2015)
- Asako I & II (2018)
- Passion (2008)
Recommended Films for Fans
- Tokyo Story (1953)
- Still Walking (2008)
- Perfect Days (2023)
- The Great Beauty (2013)
- Burning (2018)
