Film

Overdrive

Name: Overdrive
Genre: Thriller, Action, Mystery
Released: 2017
Cast: Scott Eastwood, Freddie Thorp, Ana de Armas, Gaia Weiss, Clemens Schick

A slick heist thriller about two car thieves caught between warring French crime syndicates on the Côte d'Azur. It's a propulsive, globe-trotting game of cat-and-mouse with luxury cars, double-crosses, and just enough style to justify its 93-minute runtime. Built for viewers who want intrigue without pretension.

TMDb rating

3.1

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like heist films where the car chases and the sleek machinery matter as much as the double-crosses, and you don't mind a plot that prizes momentum over logic.

Skip it if you want characters with real depth or a story that holds up under scrutiny, since the dialogue is thin and the plot leans on coincidence and genre shorthand.

What it asks of you: It runs a brisk 93 minutes and keeps moving, so you can let it wash over you without much attention, though it stays fairly glossy and light throughout.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Drive2011

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But Long silences and mood matter more than plot momentum. If you need constant action, you'll find it glacial.

Baby Driver2017

Heist sequences choreographed to music, a young driver with a debt to pay, and getaways that crackle with energy. Pure filmmaking joy disguised as crime.

But The cutesy soundtrack choices and whimsy can feel precious. Some find it exhausting rather than exhilarating.

The Gentlemen2020

Crime bosses, thieves, and fixers in a London drug operation told through interconnected schemes. Guy Ritchie at his most entertaining, wickedly funny and genuinely clever.

But The overlapping timelines and narration-heavy structure can feel gimmicky. Also, very self-satisfied about its own cleverness.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Overdrive

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Rififi1955

Both films are set against the glittering, corrupt backdrop of Mediterranean crime, but Rififi does it with postwar restraint where Overdrive uses contemporary bombast. Watching them back-to-back shows how the language of cinematic theft evolved.

A legendary French heist film: a jewel theft conducted in complete silence, no dialogue, just pure visual storytelling. The DNA of every stylish heist that followed is here.

But 1955 pacing means it moves slowly by modern standards. Black-and-white aesthetics won't appeal to everyone.

Heat1995

Two forces of nature—a thief and a cop—circle each other across Los Angeles in a methodical, absorbing cat-and-mouse game. The downtown shootout alone justifies the runtime.

But At nearly three hours, it demands patience. The plot is less intricate than its reputation suggests.

Ocean's Eleven2001

Charming con artists plan an impossible heist with style and humor. Rewatchable, gorgeously shot, and the ensemble cast genuinely seems to be having fun.

But It's lightweight—thrills without real stakes. The heist itself is almost secondary to the banter.

The Italian Job2003

Mini Coopers, gold bullion, and a con in Italy. Fast-paced, fun, and unafraid to prioritize entertainment over realism.

But Shallow as a sunken car. The plot is threadbare and the characters are sketches, not people.

Sicario2015

An FBI agent drawn into a black-ops border operation discovers nothing is what it seemed. Tense, ambiguous, and visually stunning—a thriller that trusts the audience.

But The slow-burn approach will bore anyone wanting explosions. It's also morally murky in ways that feel unresolved.

Brick2006

A high school noir mystery with no winking—it commits fully to treating teenage crime as matter-of-fact. Sharp dialogue, clever structure, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt at his best.

But The affected tone and teen-hardboiled dialogue can feel pretentious. Some find it irritating rather than clever.

Dead Calm1989

A couple on a yacht encounter a stranger. Taut, economical, and builds unbearable tension from simple materials. Proof that constraint breeds suspense.

But Confined setting means limited scope. The third act is blunt where the first two were sophisticated.

Contraband2012

Both pit ordinary men against international crime networks in a game where the rules keep changing. But Contraband treats its premise as a jigsaw puzzle to solve, while Overdrive treats it as a chase.

A former smuggler is blackmailed into one last job transporting illegal cargo. It's a tense, procedural approach to a simple premise—competent and engaging without pretense.

But Mark Wahlberg's gruff earnestness dominates the film. It's functional rather than stylish; plot mechanics matter more than character depth.

Le Samouraï1967

Le Samouraï is the spiritual ancestor of every cool, detached action hero—including the thieves in Overdrive. But where Overdrive is kinetic and nervous, Melville's film is contemplative and still, the difference between a man running and a man who never seems to hurry.

A contract killer in Paris moves through the city with ritualistic precision. Alain Delon's cool is absolute; every frame is composed like a still photograph. Hypnotic and ice-cold.

But Glacially paced with minimal plot. The deliberate style requires patience; call it 'slow cinema' or call it tedious depending on your mood.