Ken Carter was a Canadian stunt driver who wanted to taste glory by making himself known as the world’s greatest daredevil. His white whale was a super jump over the St. Lawrence River, with the planned act of automobile flight repeatedly delayed and disturbed by monetary, safety, and mental health concerns. Carter’s life was previously explored in the 1981 documentary, “The Devil at Your Heels,” with director Robert Fortier offered intimate access to the subject’s planning and concerns. Writer/director Michael Dowse (the excellent “Goon,” but also “Stuber” and “Coffee & Kareem”) looks to dramatize the movie with “The Stunt Driver,” adding bits of fiction to fluff up Carter’s battle with his self-esteem as he hopes to overtake Evel Knievel as the premiere man of action. The offering hits most of Carter’s highlights, likely reaching an audience that knows little about the man, giving star Jay Baruchel a chance to shine with his excellent performance, which gets the endeavor to dramatic places Dowse’s writing can’t reach on its own. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com
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