Drive My Car (2021 Film)

Drive My Car is a 2021 Japanese drama film directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. The screenplay, written by Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe, is based on the short story of the same name by Haruki Murakami, which was originally published in the magazine Bungei Shunju in 2013.

Promotional image for the film Drive My Car — Promotional poster for the film Drive My Car.

Plot

The story follows Yusuke Kafuku, a stage actor and director who is married to Oto, a playwright. Despite their seemingly happy marriage, Oto dies suddenly, leaving behind a secret that haunts Yusuke. Two years later, while working at a theater festival in Hiroshima, Yusuke is assigned a chauffeur named Misaki Watari. As they spend time together in his car, Yusuke begins to confront the truths he had previously ignored.

Hidetoshi Nishijima as Yusuke — Hidetoshi Nishijima portrays the lead character, Yusuke.

Cast

The film features an ensemble cast, including:

Hidetoshi Nishijima as Yusuke Kafuku
Toko Miura as Misaki Watari
Masaki Okada as Koji Takatsuki
Reika Kirishima as Oto Kafuku
Park Yoo-Rim as Lee Yu-Na

Toko Miura as Misaki — Toko Miura as the chauffeur, Misaki Watari.

Production

The film was produced by Teruhisa Yamamoto and features cinematography by Hidetoshi Shinomiya. It was released in Japan on August 20, 2021, with a runtime of 179 minutes. The film was distributed by Bitters End.