History has probably judged John DeLorean harshly; by 2019’s standards of corrupt behaviour, he looks like he had an integrity that today’s business leaders lack. Most industrialists, faced with a loss-making plant going bankrupt, automatically drain the pension fund into their personal accounts and set sail on the nearest yacht with a bevy of idiot models. DeLorean’s response was to try and save his Northern Ireland plant, and the workers’ jobs, by engineering a massive cocaine deal; not good behaviour, but it’s hard to argue that the man didn’t put himself on the line big time to keep the dream alive.
The delayed release of Nick Hamm’s drama on the subject didn’t suggest good things, but it’s more likely that that comedy/drama tone has flummoxed bean-counters; Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis plays Jim Hoffman, a dubious character who finds himself living next-door to DeLorean, played with charisma levels set to overload by Lee Pace. DeLorean dreams of making a wonder car; ‘Your flying car doesn’t fly,’ someone unhelpfully points out, and Hamm’s film makes a point of exposing DeLorean as a fraud, but also refashions him as a tarnished hero.
This is a Great Gatsby for the 1980’s, with Jim as a venal Nick Carraway, swept to the side-lines in the wake of DeLorean’s passage. ‘You’re not a bad man, you’re just an idiot,’ says Jim’s wife Ellen (Judy Greer), and Sudeikis correctly plays Jim broadly as a buffoon. Meanwhile, Pace does a phenomenal job of bringing DeLorean to life, railing about the detail of business copyrights, sulking about losing Ping Pong matches and generally being the man-child that most men aspire to be.
As for the famous car, it’s largely kept left off-screen, apart for a perfect, wry coda; Driven is a very entertaining film that should find a big audience on streaming; Back to The Future fans, Ted Lasso admirers, petrol-heads and true-crime aficionados will find plenty here to draw them in, not least Pace’s mesmerising central performance.
generally being the man-child that most men aspire to be
Do most men really aspire to that? It would explain a lot about the world though. But they should all be ashamed of themselves.
I’ve only watched the first Back to the Future movie, so I don’t think I’m quite at the level of fandom that would enjoy this for the car’s sake.
Hmm maybe.
Great review for the 2019 one.. so did you do the Caine one?
This does sound superinteresting and that title simply brilliant.
I had to tone down my review after initially giving it an over-generous 5, but I really loved this film.
My husband saw an excellent documentary about him on Netflix recently if you keen to know more about him. Noticed that there is also an Alec Baldwin movie too.
https://film-authority.com/2019/07/25/framing-john-delorean-2019/
God you are good.. testing..with review of.. Alfie with Caine..
Test failed! And to think how much Caine I have. Got the sequel Alfie Darling…
I am as surprised I beat you to reviewing that one.. the sequel does look better than the Jude Law one..
The Jude Law one is beneath contempt…
Agree, haven’t even gone near the Sleuth remake. Just glad he gave up remaking Caine films after those two.
The Sleuth remake was pants too. Yet Dom Hemingway is the great Law performance, and the straight to camera style is very Alfie.
Not seen that one, but would advise you avoid Black Sea as he makes an attempt at an Aberdonian accent for no apparent reason.
I kind of liked that accent, but couldn’t place it…