Written and directed by Michael Pierro, facing mounting expenses and the unrelenting pressure of modern living, a down-on-his-luck cab driver is lured on to a mysterious new app that promises fast, easy money. As his first night on the job unfolds, he is pulled ever deeper into the dark underbelly of society, embarking on a journey that will test his moral code and shake his understanding of what it means to have freewill. The question becomes not how much money he can make, but what he’ll be compelled to do to make it. Starring: Nathanael Chadwick, Reece Presley, Lauren Welchner, Christian Aldo and Harold Tausch.
The premise of Self Driver is an incredibly relevant one, we live in a gig economy that takes advantage of poverty and rewards people very little for endless hours of work. Not to mention coming with a deluge of customers who are unlikely to be sensitive to that and more likely to be outright selfish and rude. Under those pressures, offered the chance to make a lot more money, so long as you ask no questions? Understandably, there’s a lot of people out there that would take it, but as promised it comes with some murky consequences. Creating that sense of realism is definitely a strength of Michael Pierro’s filmmaking, pushing boundaries a little but keeping it in a space where audiences can keep asking themselves, at what point would you quit?
It’s a strong concept that comes with a lot of tension, but Self Driver wanders into some surprisingly dark territory and it doesn’t feel like the atmosphere Pierro builds had a strong enough grasp on that. The dingy depths of society that the film wades into are beyond morally reprehensible but the tone holds onto a simple thriller note. The severity to the criminal element isn’t being done justice. It also can intentionally be slightly repetitive which weakens the pacing. Another similar choice being the quality of the visual, you can see how it was intended to be a simple set up, almost CCTV-esque but it lacks bite. It doesn’t enhance the tension and can feel basic.
The way that the leading character of D (Nathanael Chadwick) is constructed is an unusual choice, he’s initially sympathetic but even he himself throws up a fair number of red flags along the way. He’s quick to aggression, there’s a suspicious edge to him, and yet he also just feels like an average Joe. Chadwick’s performance does try to flesh him out, to give him redeemable qualities, whether that be loyalty or chivalry, to an extent. However, he’s not the strongest character to build an entire film around; the backstory is limited and he doesn’t have a particularly individual personality. Although at times he can feel like he’s less susceptible and more has questionable morals, which is an interesting choice to let the audience decide for themselves, is all of it the pressure of money and family, or at some point is he using that pressure as an excuse?
Self Driver has a great concept, an engaging tension and keeps things to a nice ninety minutes. However, it does feel slightly familiar, it can tend to repeat itself and it misses the mark on the sinister side of things. The visual feels limited, the choices make sense but they lack a sharpness or punch to match the energy its story is going for. Ultimately, it’s entertaining but a slightly mixed bag that isn’t as satisfyingly dark as hoped.
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