By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
It is hard not to become emotionally invested in the gripping crime drama
"The Accidental Getaway Driver," directed and co-written by
Sing J. Lee, who is renowned for his work in both film and music videos. Lee has collaborated with top artists such as
Alicia Keys (Alicia Keys: City of Gods Part II"), Halsey, Pharrell, and Donald Glover, among others.
"The Accidental Getaway Driver" marks Lee's feature directorial debut. Co-written with
Christopher Chen ("The Hole"), the film is based on journalist and author
Paul Kix's 2017 GQ article of the same name, which recounts the harrowing true story of Long Ma, a 75-year-old Vietnamese American cab driver in Southern California (Orange County), who was abducted in 2016 by three prison escapees.
The nightmare began for Long Ma (an outstanding Hiep Tran Nghia, "Flo") when he decides to head out and grab a bite at his nearby grocery store in the Little Saigon section of town. While driving, Long gets a call and asks if he'd be willing to make a pickup. But Long politely explains to the man named Tay (Dustin Nguyen, "Blade of the 47 Ronin" and TV’s “Warrior") that it's late, he's tired and doesn't want to do it. Tay is persistent and claims it's a short trip and he'll double the pay.
Reluctantly Long agrees and goes to the location and now there are two other guys Aden (Dali Benssalah "Street Flow 2") and Eddie (Phi Vu, TV's "Early Risers") with Tay (Nguyen).
Immediately, you sense that these men are up to no good, and poor Long has no idea of what he's about to endure. The fugitives demand that Long continue driving after making a few stops. When Long insists he must return home, Tay pulls a gun on him and orders him to do what he says.
As Long watches a news broadcast in the hotel room and realizes the men are wanted criminals, the gravity of the situation sinks in. He pleads with them to let him go, swearing he won't say a word of what's happened, but his desperate pleas are ignored.
While "The Accidental Getaway Driver" is a performance-driven film rather than an action-packed thriller, it still delivers some intense moments that keep you on edge, wondering whether this elderly man will make it out alive.
The film focuses on building a deep psychological tension that increases with every minute. Long's struggle isn't just physical--it's emotional and mental, making the audience feel his every moment of fear, helplessness, and internal conflict.
Director Sing J. Lee takes a unique approach to this chilling story. Long and Tay, despite their roles as captor and captive, begin to communicate in Vietnamese and develop an unlikely but slow, genuine bond over time.
As the two men wait for further instructions that never come, their unexpected connection adds a layer of complexity that makes their interaction feel far more profound than a typical hostage scenario. This dynamic only thickens the already tense storyline, highlighting the complexities of human nature under extreme pressure.
As the guys begin to unravel, Eddie (Vu) and Aden (Benssalah) still are intent on pushing Long to the breaking point, inflicting as much emotional distress as they can. Their cruelty escalates, yet Tay's evolving relationship with Long introduces a glimmer of humanity in an otherwise brutal situation. This contrast between violence and empathy is what makes "The Accidental Getaway Driver" so compelling. It's an incredible tale of survival, human connection, and the unpredictability of life itself.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Look At This Trailer For
"THE ACCIDENTAL GETAWAY DRIVER"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
