# Is it me or is Adam Driver's whole career based on "look at it from the asshole's point of view!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [August 24, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150 "2024-08-24T16:53:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/21 "2024-08-25T00:04:12Z")
Wow, some people took this way too personally! It also seems to me, judging by how he _doesn’t_ take himself too seriously, he seems to be in on the “I play jerks” joke. Also, I never, ever said he wasn’t a good actor or didn’t deserve any of his accolades, only that he is known for playing jerks. Sorry for all the feelings I hurt expressing this opinion. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/22 "2024-08-25T01:08:59Z")
Moderating: > [@peccavi](#): > > > [@Biggirl](#): > > > > OK. Sorry it wasn’t clear to you. But it’s been, like, 15 minutes since these two films were recommended to me so forgive me if I haven’t watched them yet and can no longer comment on them. > > So, just to make sure I’ve got the OP clear: > > Based on three movies and one television series, confirm or refute the supposition that Adam Driver, an actor with 30+ movie credits and Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and Tony award nominations, is always cast as “the asshole”, > > But don’t use any of the other 27+ movies the OP hasn’t seen, or anything else the OP doesn’t have personal knowledge of? > > By the way, to further cement Mr. Drivers reputation, he served in the Marines and (from the Wiki) _“Driver is the founder of [Arts in the Armed Forces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_in_the_Armed_Forces) (AITAF), a nonprofit that performs theater for all branches of the military in the United States and abroad.”_ I think it’s pretty clear that the request is, " please recommend movies with this actor where I’ll like his character". She’s not saying he’s a bad actor, not that he’s a bad person. (Why even ask for recommendations featuring a bad actor?) So let’s move on from defending Mr Drivers’ credentials and back to talking about the pros and cons of different movies he’s in. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/23 "2024-08-25T01:48:03Z")
He’s an actor I can take or leave but I’ve always thought him credible in whatever I’ve seen him do. Though the character he played wasn’t especially likeable, I rather enjoyed him in an absurdist comedy called **“White Noise”** a couple of years back. Seeing him host SNL and interviewed elsewhere, I’ve never gotten the impression that he takes himself too seriously. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/24 "2024-08-25T02:41:31Z")
The first thing I saw Adam Driver in was the romantic comedy, _What If_ (aka _The F Word_). He plays the best friend of Daniel Radcliffe’s protagonist, who is navigating being friend-zoned by Zoe Kazan. Driver is hilarious, stealing every scene he’s in. Another good one is the heist comedy, _Logan Lucky_. He playsa one-handed, veteran bartender who is heist leader Channing Tatum’s brother. Again, his delivery is hilarious. You’ll never hear the word “cauliflower” in your head the same way. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/25 "2024-08-25T03:00:10Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > The first thing I saw Adam Driver in was the romantic comedy, _What If_ (aka _The F Word_). He plays the best friend of Daniel Radcliffe’s protagonist, who is navigating being friend-zoned by Zoe Kazan. Driver is hilarious, stealing every scene he’s in. I came to mention this one. It is his intensity that makes him so funny. Like Robert De Niro in _Midnight Run_. After I saw _What If_ I thought that this was one of the greatest line reads ever: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/fg7Mcfun7yM/maxresdefault.jpg "What If Movie CLIP - Greatest Moment Of My Life! (2014) - Daniel Radcliffe, Adam Driver Movie HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg7Mcfun7yM) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/26 "2024-08-25T03:13:16Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Give me an Adam Driver hero movie! I was thinking about this some more. It may be that part of the reason why there may not be an obvious movie to point you to is that Driver doesn’t see to have made many (if any) movies for major studios in which he’s a “heroic” lead. And, as shallow as this may sound, I think that part of this is because of his looks. He has unusual facial features, and I would not be at all surprised if that – even though he is seen as being an excellent actor – he doesn’t get considered for leading-man roles by the big studios, because he doesn’t look like a traditional “leading man.” ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/27 "2024-08-25T03:15:53Z")
Great example! It was the only thing is seen of his before _Star Wars: The Force Awakens_. When he took the helmet off, I literally burst out laughing in the theater. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/28 "2024-08-25T03:28:05Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Wow, some people took this way too personally! It also seems to me, judging by how he _doesn’t_ take himself too seriously, he seems to be in on the “I play jerks” joke. Yeah, I kind of feel like anyone who was an enlisted Marine is pretty familiar with the salt of the Earth. He doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously, although he does seem pretty intense. I’d personally like to see him in a classic “good guy” role. I suspect he’d shine in it, but so far, they just want to cast him as assholes, because he’s so good at it. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/29 "2024-08-25T04:03:49Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And, as shallow as this may sound, I think that part of this is because of his looks. He has unusual facial features, and I would not be at all surprised if that – even though he is seen as being an excellent actor – he doesn’t get considered for leading-man roles by the big studios, because he doesn’t look like a traditional “leading man.” I read an interview (The New Yorker, maybe?) where he said he won’t or can’t watch himself in any movie. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/30 "2024-08-25T05:45:23Z")
Although he wasn’t the main character in [BlacKkKsman](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349662/), Driver does have a pretty major role. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2024, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/31 "2024-08-25T09:30:26Z")
He basically walked away with the movie - playing a sympathetic character, too. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/32 "2024-08-27T10:31:00Z")
Adam Driver’s face, to me is ungainly. I’m surprised at how well he’s done in his career. But he’s a Marine so you gotta love that, right? 🙂 > [@needscoffee](#): > > > [@Biggirl](#): > > > > Now THAT looks like an Adam Driver hero movie! - > > Yep, it was a lot of fun. This looks interesting. I put it on my watch list. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/33 "2024-08-27T14:26:08Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Adam Driver’s face, to me is ungainly. I thought thatabout his face in still pictures, but in motion pictures his face is seems more “gainly”. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/34 "2024-08-27T14:56:21Z")
His character in the Jim Jarmusch absurdist zombie flick “The Dead Don’t Die” is deadpan-ly entertaining. If you’re into Jim Jarmusch, absurdist comedies, or weird zombie movies, it’s worth a watch. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/35 "2024-08-27T15:10:24Z")
I once read about Driver that “he looks like someone tried to draw Keanu Reeves from memory.” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/36 "2024-08-27T15:29:58Z")
> [@JeffB](#): > > Although he wasn’t the main character in [BlacKkKsman](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7349662/), Driver does have a pretty major role. I came to mention that one. As was mentioned above he has been one of the best guest hosts on SNL in recent years. He has good comedy chops. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/37 "2024-08-27T15:44:22Z")
The one I heard was: Adam Driver has resting “professor who suspects you copied your entire presentation off wikipedia” face. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2024, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/38 "2024-08-27T17:17:26Z")
I don’t remember if Driver’s character in “[The Man Who Killed Don Quixote](https://youtu.be/yiiRZJUTT2k?feature=shared)” was an asshole. He was certainly confused and perplexed. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2024, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/39 "2024-08-28T08:19:15Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I once read about Driver that “he looks like someone tried to draw Keanu Reeves from memory.” That’s pretty funny! ---
**Author:** ![Strenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Strenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strenger)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2024, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150/40 "2024-08-28T09:44:32Z")
I suppose this can resemble a pile-on at this point, but put me down for Adam Driver as well. I guess I’ve seen him in some stuff. But in honor of the recently deceased critic John Simon (well…recent enough! half-decade or so…close enough!), looking at a face like Driver’s is like looking at a hand in a garbage disposal. That’s not a moral judgment or anything small: it’s merely stating the most obvious of judgments about the role appearances play in casting and the effects it may have upon the reception of a work of cinema, or television. I’m sure he’s a fantastic guy and, I guess, from what I’ve seen, could be a decent actor in a small local theater production or several. But. and, yes, me being a regular guy who’s had his nose broken quite a few times and has irregular features as a result (basically I’m not a male model by any stretch), I find his visage disturbing. Still more when he tries to act, like with his facial expressions and such. Could be an excellent character actor: another Elijah Cook, Jr., or a John Vernon. Or a radio personality on the “monotone but use all the volume you can muster.” Normally I wouldn’t go harsh, at least in public or semi-public, but I’ve been rereading John Simon’s legendary criticism the past few days…I think inspired by a poster from here, apologies for not recalling the poster. I don’t believe Simon was cruel when he considered physical appearance or physiognomy to be a part of a performance which warrants comment. And put me down for Minnie Driver as well. Not really for the same reason…she was just everywhere for a time and, while she could deliver quirky charm…I guess…I really do hope that was not her only gag and that she has been able to continue to have a (ahem…lucky) career to this day and in the future. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or-is-adam-drivers-whole-career-based-on-look-at-it-from-the-assholes-point-of-view/1006150.md?page=3)