Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1978: Bruce Dern in The Driver

Bruce Dern did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying The Detective in The Driver.

The Driver, which follows a, well, driver (Ryan O'Neal) who is a getaway specialist, was much derided in its time. Although I will say unfairly, I mean the technical virtues of the film alone should've guaranteed it some praise, but I'll say it was before its time. As the film exists purposefully as a specifically cinematic piece, and makes no illusions regarding this fact. The overused criticism of "style over substance" too often ignores that style itself can be enough, particularly if it is the intention of the piece. That is the case for the Driver, which I suppose I will defend as a proper strictly cinematic work by director Walter Hill, that could only exist as a film, and does so with spectacular style. Although I will say this approach was in a way perfected in its spiritual successor of Drive, though by adding a bit more direct substance, I still think it stands well as the purest form of this approach. A film that exists through the language of film.

Speaking to the film's minimalist approach is right within the script that names each character as their role, rather than a person. The approach being to make an action picture distilled to its purest form. Bruce Dern is quite simply ideal for this type approach, as the pseudo antagonist to the driver as the detective trying to catch. This is because if the character itself might be limited, you have a performer like Bruce Dern who is quite simply always a character. The challenge presented to Dern being to make something out of a purpose archetype of the dogged detective who do what it takes to catch his man. I will say many a performer likely would've been completely forgettable in this role, but this part is just right for the always at least a little off-beat Dern. This is as in a way one will take notice of the detective, just as we see him passively playing pool in the opening scene, because well it's Bruce Dern. Bruce Dern is more than just casting though, as he is an actor, who importantly doesn't quite approach a scene like anyone else, much in the same way of say a Christopher Walken, his co-nominee from 1978 for the actual Oscar. This as he questions witnesses looking at a lineup, Dern's slightly manic eyes, and posture almost like a pecking bird, offers us a bit more of an indecisive character within the detective. This is technically as the detective is merely just asking questions, but Dern does far more with it than that. Take as he attempts to interrogate the driver after the first heist of the film, and Dern just owns the dialogue he has, and the scene. This in bringing that bit of mania in his expression as he speaks of his wish to catch the "cowboy that's never been caught" with a delighted glee, that creates a greater sense of obsession than is honestly in the dialogue. Dern makes investigation scenes have something extra to them, as he can add that color to any line, even just remarking on the size of a gun, or just in that atypical physical manner of his that skews things just a bit, while still definitely delivering on the direct point of the role. This in bringing a bit more ego in the detective as he lays down his trap, and boasts about his method. One of Dern's best moments being talking directly with the Driver and commenting on the driver's life. Dern has the right degree of fun with it, showing in turn that the detective loves the chase a bit, and gets a kick honestly out of playing the game with the Driver. Dern in a way showing the needed performance even in the Detective's own action scene of sorts, by bringing to life the dogged determination and frustration of the moment as we follow him nearly silently trying to catch a crook. Dern effectively becoming the protagonist in a way, if only for a scene. My favorite moment of his performance though being the ending, helped by a great edit, where the driver goes to attempt to pickup what he thinks is illicit payment to only find himself surrounding by cops lead by the detective. Dern leading with the right smug posture. What's best about it though, as both men find they were had in some way, Dern delivers a slight modesty in his final lines even a sense of understanding in his eyes as they both accept their "loss". Dern makes the most out of the type, he's given here, making more than there is in the right way, as offering essentially the character for the role.