The Stunt Driver (2026)

The Stunt Driver feels more like a passion project than a comedy or even a drama. There is enough here to get me into the theater, but not enough to keep me from checking the time during its 99-minute runtime. Even at that length, the movie feels like it is constantly waiting for the big jump to happen instead of actually giving us something interesting along the way.

Writer/director Michael Dowse is clearly a Canadian patriot, but he needs to remember that most of his audience isn't Canadian. There is nothing wrong with being proud of where you come from, but the movie spends so much time leaning into that pride that it becomes difficult for anyone outside of Canada to connect with it. Goon worked because it had a much better script. The Stunt Driver needed to be written by someone who actually understands comedy and knows how to build jokes around the characters instead of simply expecting the premise to carry the movie.

Jay Baruchel does a decent job in the lead, but he isn't really the caliber of actor who can carry an entire movie like this on his own. He needs something more substantial to disappear into the role, whether that's a physical transformation or a character that gives him more to work with. Here, he mostly feels like Jay Baruchel playing a slightly different version of Jay Baruchel.

The best parts of the movie come from Laurence Leboeuf and Ed Helms, who both make the most of their respective supporting roles. They bring more energy to the movie than the main storyline deserves and are easily the performers I was most interested in watching. Ben Foster, an actor I normally love, unfortunately feels like he is just going through the motions. His performance is mostly forgettable, which is disappointing considering what he is capable of.

Overall, The Stunt Driver is just meh. The premise is interesting enough to get you through the theater doors, but the movie never gives you enough reason to stay invested. The 99-minute runtime somehow feels longer because the entire movie seems to be waiting for something to happen. Michael Dowse had a passion project he clearly wanted to make, but passion alone does not make a good comedy. Goon showed that he could make this kind of movie work when the script was there. Unfortunately, The Stunt Driver does not have that script. Result: C

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