HOM Exclusive Interview: The Driver - James

HOM caught up with star of Drive, the Driver, at the Alabama Theatre premiere of his movie.  Although he did not attend the actual screening, he could be found outside the entrance, idling in a 1973 Chevy Malibu.  A Barons game played on the radio while he nudged a toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other.  He continued to stare straight ahead as I banged on the passenger window, smiled effusively, and pressed my press pass against the glass.  I was about to call him an a-hole and walk away when the locks clicked open. I quickly shuffled in before he changed his mind.  Nervous at his continued silence,  I told him in a single rush what an honor it was and how I was such a big fan and thought that the movie was genius---that he was a genius and I would love to do an interview with him for our blogosite. 

Silence.

He said that I had 5 minutes.

(00:00)

HOM:  OK, great!  Many critics have compared you to existential heroes like Bullitt in Bullitt, Luke in Cool Hand Luke or Preacher in Pale Rider.  How do you feel about those comparisons? And--follow up question--do you consider yourself a hero unique to this particular time?  Kind of like an existential hero for the digital age or something?

DVR:  (long silence).  I don’t have wheels on my car.

HOM:  (laughing).  OK!

DVR:  It’s one thing you should know about me.

(01:45)

HOM:  That’s interesting because I recently read a New York Times opinion piece about how this generation lacks the mobility of previous Americans.  Teens and twenty somethings seem perfectly content to stay home in economic depression rather than just tear off to another part of the country with more promise.  Is that what you’re speaking to?

DVR:  (longer silence).  Hey, you want a toothpick?

(3:20)

HOM:  No, thanks though, Driver.  Driver, I’m not sure how to broach this subject, but are you aware that you are a character portrayed by Ryan Gosling.  Like Preacher in Pale Rider, you don’t really exist.  I mean you’re a creation of someone’s imagination, born on paper to live a two-hour life in the skin of some overpaid actor.  How do you feel about that?  Driver, I guess what I’m asking is are you capable of love?  Do you dream?

DVR: (longest silence). There's a hundred-thousand streets in this city. You don't need to know the route. You give me a time and a place, I give you a five minute window. Anything happens in that five minutes and I'm yours. No matter what. Anything happens a minute either side of that and you're on your own. Do you understand?

(05:00).