Review of Drive, He Said (1971) by Daniel K — 14 Jan 2011

Jack Nicholson's directorial debut (okay so he was one of 500 ghost directors for THE TERROR, but that doesn't really count) is a mess. Hot off of his brilliant turn in Bob Rafelson's classic FIVE EASY PIECES, Nicholson tried his hand behind the camera with this story of a college basketball player and his politically radical roommate during the political unrest of the Vietnam war.

The story has a lot of interesting ideas, and Nicholson clearly has a lot to say, but the nuance Nicholson has as an actor doesn't come across in his directing, as the movie has trouble saying whatever it is its trying to say.

DRIVE, HE SAID was a BBS production, and having redefined American cinema with EASY RIDER and taking it even further with FIVE EASY PIECES, BBS was a production house that had captured the zeitgeist of America, however DRIVE, HE SAID seems to be of the belief that it can turn the camera on these things and have the same effect, which is sadly doesn't, as Nicholson lacks the insane abandon of Dennis Hopper and the thoughtful nature of Rafelson.

What we have here is a filmmaker trying to find his voice, no doubt if Nicholson had continued directing he might have found it, fortunately he stuck to what he does best, and doing so made him an American icon.