WAIT FOR ME // A FILM REVIEW OF "NIGHT DRIVE"
Russell (AJ Bowen) is a genuinely nice guy and he's a ride share driver for a Uber like company working through the Christmas holiday. When he picks up Charlotte (Sophie Dalah), she offers him a tip that he can't refuse. She hands him a $100 to take her to one location, wait for her and then go somewhere else. He of course takes it and a pleasant and playful vibe begins between the two, opening up a breezy and fun feeling ride share film. However, things take a very drastic turn (and another, and another), switching the gears on this breezy indie and transforming it into a clever and time-twisty thriller.
What follows is a funny, thrilling and original film that takes detours into comedy, horror, thriller and even sci-fi. The revelations within NIGHT DRIVE are too good to spoil here, but let's just say once you think you have a footing on where it's going, you realize you don't and then that happens again. AJ Bown and Sophie Dalah, who take up almost all of the running time, are both fantastic. Both fully capture their characters and create a vivid and complex take on them and their chemistry together elevates the film to the level that it sits at. The final act twist is so satisfying that it left a smile on my face until the end. Perfectly paced and strikingly original, Night Drive is one of the most satisfying films of the year.
GRADE: A
WRITTEN BY Meghan Leon DIRECTED BY Brad Baruh, Meghan Leon STARRING AJ Bowen, Sophie Dalah, Scott Poythress. NOW PLAYING IN SELECT THEATRES AND ON DEMAND.