Drive My Car (2021): Story, Cast, Runtime and Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Drive My Car follows stage director Yūsuke Kafuku as he travels to Hiroshima to direct Uncle Vanya, where a reserved chauffeur gradually becomes connected to his unresolved grief and private history. Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s 2021 drama explores loss, performance and difficult conversations across nearly three hours.

Drive My Car is a 2021 Japanese drama directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. The film centers on Yūsuke Kafuku, a stage actor and director still living with the loss of his wife two years after her death.

When Yūsuke accepts a theater assignment in Hiroshima, he is paired with Misaki, a young woman hired to drive him. Their time on the road creates space for guarded memories, personal disclosures and questions that neither has easily faced alone.

Drive My Car movie details

Story without spoilers

Yūsuke Kafuku travels to Hiroshima to direct a production of Uncle Vanya at a theater festival. Although he is experienced in the world of stage performance, his private life remains shaped by grief and by the unresolved impact of his relationship with his late wife, Oto.

At the festival, Yūsuke meets Misaki Watari, an introverted young driver assigned to his car. Their repeated journeys gradually establish an unusual connection. As rehearsals continue and conversations unfold between drives, both characters are drawn toward difficult memories and secrets from the past. The film’s setting, its theater production and its road-bound conversations provide the framework for this quiet drama about loss and emotional honesty.

What to expect

The film is a serious, character-focused drama with a runtime of 2 hours and 59 minutes. Its premise combines theatrical rehearsal, grief and extended car rides, with Hiroshima serving as the central setting. The story involves themes and elements including infidelity, the loss of a loved one, auditions, road travel and the staging of Uncle Vanya.

Viewers can expect a multilingual production: the listed spoken languages are Mandarin, English, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay and Tagalog. The supplied premise emphasizes conversations, confessions and the gradual connection between Yūsuke and Misaki rather than action-driven events.

Cast and creative team

Hidetoshi Nishijima plays Yūsuke Kafuku, while Toko Miura portrays Misaki Watari. The cast also includes Masaki Okada as Kōshi Takatsuki, Reika Kirishima as Oto Kafuku, Park Yu-rim as Lee Yoo-na, Jin Dae-yeon as Gong Yoon-su, Sonia Yuan as Janice Chang, Ahn Hwi-tae as Ryu Jong-ui, Perry Dizon as Roy Rossello and Satoko Abe as Yuzuhara.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi directed and co-wrote the film with Takamasa Oe.

• Hidetoshi Nishijima as Yūsuke Kafuku
• Toko Miura as Misaki Watari
• Masaki Okada as Kōshi Takatsuki
• Reika Kirishima as Oto Kafuku
• Park Yu-rim as Lee Yoo-na
• Jin Dae-yeon as Gong Yoon-su
• Sonia Yuan as Janice Chang
• Ahn Hwi-tae as Ryu Jong-ui
• Perry Dizon as Roy Rossello
• Satoko Abe as Yuzuhara

Release and production context

Drive My Car was released on August 18, 2021, and is listed as a released film from Japan. It runs for 2 hours and 59 minutes. The production companies are Bitters End, C&I entertainment, Culture Entertainment, nekojarashi, Quaras, Bungeishunju, Nippan Group Holdings and The Asahi Shimbun. The film’s original title is ドライブ・マイ・カー.

Production companies: Bitters End, C&I entertainment, Culture Entertainment, nekojarashi, Quaras, Bungeishunju, Nippan Group Holdings, The Asahi Shimbun

Reported production figures:
Budget $1,300,000 · Revenue $15,356,046

Drive My Car official trailer

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Drive My Car brings together a theater director, a chauffeur, a Hiroshima festival and the lingering effects of personal loss. Its nearly three-hour structure leaves room for the characters’ conversations and rehearsals to develop gradually, making it a substantial drama for viewers interested in intimate stories about grief, memory and human connection.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb