Eye Candy #262 - "Driven"

Driven:  I don’t know why there is a law in the universe that says that “serious” takes on the various professional racing circuits must come across like a wet turd in a bag, but apparently there is.  The only ones that typically get any traction at the box office are comedies (Talladega Nights…Six Pack…uh…Stroker Ace…).  Somehow I managed to miss this “gem” the year it came out.  Turns out it didn’t get better with age.  “Driven” is Renny (Oh How Far I Have Fallen) Harlin’s take on IRL, with Sylvester Stallone brought out of retirement to mentor the hot young driver who hasn’t quite got the nerve to be a winner.  Flashy but empty, with characters that are as sympathetic as poisonous snakes.  Kip Pardue, who isn’t strong enough of an actor to carry the film, *surprise* doesn’t carry the film.  Best actor in the film?  Til Schweiger, and it pained me to say that (granted, he is usually given NOTHING to do when cast in a film, so who knows how well he could act if given the shot.  “Driven”…wasn’t that shot).  Avoid this movie like you avoided “Days of Thunder” and “Six Pack’.  Woodchuck sez, “Absolutely skip this one.”