Girls of Geek B Movie Review: Drive Hard

Written by Scotty

Have you ever been forced to leave a job that you are really good at?  I am sure that we all have, but looking in the mirror, hindsight is always twenty/twenty and even if it was not our choice, it turns out better in the end.  But have you given up a career that you were exceptional at, out of love?  That could be the hardest thing to do, since you are giving up on the person you were to make the most important person in your life know how much you care for them.  

Peter Roberts is a man that has left his past life in the rear view mirror.  Being a successful race car driving in his past life, he has given it all up to be around for his new family.  Marrying his wife Tessa, they couple has a daughter who was conceived when Peter was still on the circuit.  Being asked to give up his racing life has left him a shell of his former self and his relationships with both of his ladies is showing it.

Wanting to get back to what he does well, Peter has the idea of opening up a race car training school, as now he is just teaching people how to drive in Australia.  Although it is not his dream, it is helping to pay the bills, but once again, money is getting tight and he is going to have to find a way to tell his wife and daughter that the private school option is no longer on the table.  But on this day, Peter has a request for his services at the driving school, a Mr. Keller.  Getting into the car, Peter can tell that his new student knows how to drive just fine, and that he is an American.  But Simon Keller wants more from Peter, as he starts talking about the former race car driver's past and current predicament. 

Keller tries to bond with the Peter as the driving class continues but Peter is having none of it.  Asking to stop by a bank on the drive back to the school, Keller is granted his wish, but instead of making a deposit, he makes a withdrawal that will change the dynamic between the two forever.  Keller is a master thief and steals nine million dollars in Bearer Bonds from his old boss that had him incarcerated for several years.  Being taken hostage, Peter is willing to drive for all that he is worth with a gun pointed at his head, but once he is able to gain the upper hand, will he be able to leave his new friend to the cops and the mafia that are trying to stop them?

Drive Hard follows the story about Peter Roberts that has just been taken hostage by a man that is looking to get even with his former employer.  Although he is not looking for anything out of this, three million dollars is dangled in front of his face while trying to get away from those that would kill him.  With Simon Keller running the show, the master thief is trying to play upon Peter’s downfalls over the past couple of years, but as Peter shows, he knows how to drive and get away from anything that is put in his path.  As the two try to escape the police, along with the mafia that Keller just stole nine million dollars’ worth of Bearer Bonds from, they form a tentative partnership of a payoff what will change Peter’s life forever.  Seeing how hard Peter’s life has become, Keller plays on it as much as he can and is trying to get the retired race car driver to break out of his current shell, but Peter has to buy into this before fully trusting the master thief.  But will Peter be able to come to terms with what is happening before the cops catch up with them while on their way to freedom, or will he fall back into what he has become, a belittled house husband that no one in the house respects?

This is a fun ride to say the least, with Thomas Jane driving the story and John Cusack giving the directions.  Having little idea of where this story was taking me, I was impressed with the outcome.  Watching Peter Roberts come to terms with what his reality really was and Simon Keller just giving him the path, it was great seeing the characters grow on the screen.  With plenty of one liners that make you scoff, on a second watching, they make you laugh as that is one thing that the movie wanted you to do.  But the pairing of two of my favorite actors, doing what they do best, you are not left wondering what happened at the end, as they both have motives that are driving them for greatness.  Happy Viewing.

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