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Driven

Driven

Get ready for the race of your life.

2001116 minPG-13Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films
Director
Renny Harlin
Starring
Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, Kip Pardue, Stacy Edwards

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. To drive Bly back to the top of the rankings, Tanto must first deal with the emotional scars left over from a tragic racing accident which nearly took his life.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Driven?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Driven streaming on Sony Pictures Core via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Driven?

Driven earns 6 badges, led by Overhyped and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Driven worth watching?

Driven's Midcredits score is the 8th percentile of all films, from 64K ratings across 6 sources. 19% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

8th percentile

Better received than 8% of films

16th percentile among Action9th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)13th
Approval (how many liked it)7th

48 /100

13th percentile of all films

22nd percentile among Action13th percentile among 2000s

Critics 29 · Audience 49

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

19% liked it

7th percentile of all films

14th percentile among Action7th percentile among 2000s
19% rated it 7–1081% rated it 1–6

Critics 13% · Audience 33%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 10 noms overall

93rd percentile

64K ratings across platforms

87th percentile among Action88th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 13% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$94M
Opening weekend$12M
Domestic gross$33M
Worldwide gross$55M

Returned 0.6× its budget — 79th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Driven is a fast-paced, formulaic racing movie that prioritizes spectacle over realism.

Fans praised

  • exhilarating racing scenes and crash sequences
  • strong performances from Stallone and Reynolds
  • effective build-up of intensity and satisfying finale

Detractors panned

  • ridiculous, unrealistic racing and crash physics
  • wooden acting and painfully bad dialogue
  • hollow, cliché-ridden plot with no logic

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive50

cool crashes and CGI; often unrealistic and over-the-top

PacingDivisive35

frenetic editing; slow start but builds to exciting finish

ActingDivisive30

Stallone and Reynolds praised by fans; widely panned as wooden by detractors

CinematographyDivisive30

amateurish shaky-cam; creative angles in racing shots

CharactersDivisive20

paper-thin, two-dimensional; some fans found them relatable

Plot and storyDivisive15

predictable, trite, full of logical gaps

OriginalityDivisive15

formulaic paint-by-numbers; a Rocky clone on wheels

Dialogue10

banal, cringe-worthy, laughable

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Driven like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingHopeful
Heaviest: throughout
Warm humor
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsEpic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material straight, delivering sincere emotional arcs and high-octane racing drama without irony or self-awareness.
The rideRacing sequences provide tension while the personal arcs sustain a hopeful, determined register from start to finish.
StructureConventional three-act structure follows the racing season from mid-season to the final race, with clear setup, conflict, and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer lifted by the triumphant final race and the characters' personal victories, with a sense of inspiration from the mentoring relationship.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% (this title) · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Redemption: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).

13% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story follows a talented rookie who loses focus and is mentored back to winning the championship, a classic redemption arc for both the young driver and the retired veteran mentor.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsAmbition · 7% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores finding (or rediscovering) one's direction through high-stakes racing, as both a veteran and a rookie grapple with what drives them.
StanceThe film affirms the value of mentorship and finding one's drive, treating the championship as a backdrop for personal growth.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanIn transitRealistic
Orchestral modernElectronicForeground music · original score · BT
Settingthe world of professional open-wheel racing, including tracks, pits, and cityscapes
MusicElectronic and orchestral fusion to amp up racing energy.

Content guide

Is Driven okay for kids?

PG-13

Driven is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for language and some intense crash sequences” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at minimal (10/100), language at mild (24/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (13/100) and frightening material at mild (17/100). Its frightening material has too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 2% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 11 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • South Korea12
  • BrazilL
  • Austria12
  • CzechiaU
  • GreecePG
  • SK12
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 4% of all filmsHeavier than 2% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 28%
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 11%
Profanity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 11%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 13%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (8 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 28% of PG-13-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Driven have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Driven?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Sylvester Stallone
as Joe Tanto
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Burt Reynolds
as Carl Henry
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kip Pardue
as Jimmy Bly
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Stacy Edwards
as Lucretia Clan
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Til Schweiger
as Beau Brandenburg
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Gina Gershon
as Cathy Heguy
Estella Warren
as Sophia Simone
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Cristián de la Fuente
as Memo Heguy
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Brent Briscoe
as Crusher
Robert Sean Leonard
as Demille Bly

Crew

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What are movies like Driven?

Movies like Driven include Rocky III (1982), Chasing Mavericks (2012) and Supercross (2005). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Sylvester Stallone, and all are sports underdog stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its subject: purpose. Those cards say what else they share.

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