Drive, She Said is a 1997 Canadian film by Mina Shum, starring Moira Kelly, Sebastian Spence and Josh Hamilton.

Drive, She Said
Directed byMina Shum
Written byMina Shum
Produced byStephen Hegyes
StarringMoira Kelly
Sebastian Spence
Josh Hamilton
CinematographyPeter Wunstorf
Edited byMichelle Floyd
Music byDennis Burke
Production
companies
47 Films
Drive She Said Productions
Distributed bySeville Films
Release date
  • September 8, 1997 (1997-09-08) (TIFF)
Running time
81 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Plot summary

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Nadine (Moira Kelly), a bank teller, is taken hostage by Tass (Josh Hamilton), who has robbed the bank to pay for medical care for his ailing mother. The film focuses on the developing relationship between Nadine and Tass, and Nadine's changing views in relation to her conventional life and relationships. The police and Nadine's longtime boyfriend, fellow bank employee Jonathan (Sebastian Spence) search for and successfully find her, though also find that she has been permanently affected by her time with Tass.

Critical reception

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The film was Shum's second film, after her well-received 1994 film, Double Happiness, which starred Sandra Oh. Drive, She Said received mixed reviews.[1] Writing in Variety, Derek Elley described the film as "a meet-cute road movie that starts in high gear but soon takes too many left turns for its own good. Mina Shum’s second feature, after her well-remarked, Chinese-themed low-budgeter 'Double Happiness' is too mild a confection to motor on to much theatrical business."[2]

Release history

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The film, produced by Stephen Hegyes had a limited release. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1997, where audience reaction was positive, but did not generate firm distribution interest.[3] It was then shown at the Popcorn Festival in Sweden, in 1998. Also in 1998, the film was invited to the competition section of the Delle Donne International Film Festival, in Turin, Italy.[4]

Cast

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  • Moira Kelly ... Nadine Ship
  • Sebastian Spence ... Jonathan Evans
  • Josh Hamilton ... Tass Richards
  • Jim Byrnes ... Dr. Glen Green
  • Lori Ann Triolo ... Jo (as Lori Triolo)
  • Peter Stebbings ... Detective Eddie
  • David Hurtubise ... Ben Polstein
  • Hiromoto Ida ... Sloan
  • Mina Shum ... Chen
  • John B. Destry ... Bob The Guard (as John Destry)
  • Hrothgar Mathews ... Ernie
  • Carrie Cain-Sparks ... The Waitress (as Carrie Cain Sparks)
  • Mike Crestejo ... Bike Cop
  • Amanda Leary ... Bank Heistess
  • Allan Franz ... Medic
  • Tom Scholte ... Arnold The Gas Guy
  • Tom Shorthouse ... Kindly Older Gent
  • Tong Lung ... Counter Person
  • Alex Diakun ... The Prophecy
  • Carla Stewart ... Mrs. Richards
  • Harry Kalinski ... Merlin The Driver (as Harry Kalensky)
  • Micki Maunsell ... Cranky Lady

References

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  1. ^ Judy Gerstel "Sophomore effort crashes", Toronto Star, September 4, 1998; John Haslett Cuff, "Driving wild on the wrong side of the road: Canadian filmmaker Mina Shum spins her wheels tackling some unfamiliar terrain", The Globe and Mail, September 4, 1998. Source: Canadian Women Film Directors Database; retrieved 2014-04-13.
  2. ^ Derek Elley, Review of Drive, She Said. Variety, December 21, 1997. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  3. ^ Cheryl Binning, Drive garners good audience reaction. Toronto International Film Festival 1997 Daily Playback, September 10, 1997. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  4. ^ Kathryn Mockler, Mina Shum: Filmmaker, Writer/Director. The Rusty Toque, March 11, 2012. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
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