Driven

Driven is currently streaming on Hollywood Suite, and it earns its set pieces rather than just delivering them. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 833 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Sylvester Stallone is the obvious draw, but the supporting cast gives the action its context. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Hollywood Suite.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Driven is worth clearing space for. The choreography in Driven serves the story instead of interrupting it. Talented rookie race-car driver Jimmy Bly has started losing his focus and begins to slip in the race rankings. It's no wonder, with the immense pressure being shoveled on him by his overly ambitious promoter brother as well as Bly's romance with his arch rival's girlfriend Sophia. With much riding on Bly, car owner Carl Henry brings former racing star Joe Tanto on board to help Bly. Sylvester Stallone and Burt Reynolds lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2001. Driven earns its bigger moments by making you care about the outcome before it happens. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

The genre has a long history of front-loading its best moments — Driven is not one of those. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Sylvester Stallone anchors the chaos with real screen presence. Every set piece here is doing more than one job at once.