‘Drive My Car’ Trailer: Japan’s Official Oscar Entry Debuts In Theaters Later This Month

Of all the major films to debut at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, you might be surprised to know that one of the most beloved is the Japanese drama, “Drive My Car.” And later this month, audiences are going to finally get the chance to watch Japan’s official Oscars entry on the big screen.

READ MORE: Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ‘Drive My Car’ Is A Masterful Drama You Can’t Turn Away From [Cannes Review]

As seen in the trailer for “Drive My Car,” the film tells the story of a stage actor and director who develops a surprising bond with his chauffeur after the unexpected death of his wife. In our review from Cannes, we said, “Despite what may initially seem to be a somewhat straightforward contemporary drama, [Ryusuke] Hamaguchi has crafted a rich, skilfully layered masterwork with flawless performances and a script that is a screenwriter’s holy grail. It sticks in your brain for days and nudges you to take it in again. How many three-hour films can you say that of? Not enough, frankly.”

The acclaimed drama stars Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, Masaki Okada, Reika Kirishima, Park Yurim, and Jin Daeyeon. “Drive My Car” is directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, who co-wrote the feature with Takamasa Oe.

“Drive My Car” debuts in select theaters on November 24. You can watch the trailer below.

Here’s the synopsis:

Two years after his wife’s unexpected death, Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima), a renowned stage actor and director, receives an offer to direct a production of Uncle Vanya at a theater festival in Hiroshima. There, he meets Misaki Watari (Toko Miura), a taciturn young woman assigned by the festival to chauffeur him in his beloved red Saab 900. As the production’s premiere approaches, tensions mount amongst the cast and crew, not least between Yusuke and Koji Takatsuki, a handsome TV star who shares an unwelcome connection to Yusuke’s late wife. Forced to confront painful truths raised from his past, Yusuke begins – with the help of his driver – to face the haunting mysteries his wife left behind. Adapted from Haruki Murakami’s short story, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Drive My Car is a haunting road movie traveling a path of love, loss, acceptance, and peace.