Drifter

As an alumnus of the mighty Fast & Furious franchise, Sung Kang is no stranger to beautiful cars careening through seemingly impassable spaces — and igniting our dreams. With Drifter, Kang nods towards his hot-rod history while setting out on an entirely different sort of road, lighting upon a perfect balance of automotive awe and soulfulness.

A solitary custodian at Rosamond, California’s Willow Springs Raceway, Tree (Kang) is used to keeping a low profile. Haunted by a tragic past and saddled with generational debt, he avoids getting close to others, preferring to use his off hours behind the wheel of his battered but beloved vintage Toyota AE86 Corolla — which he’s nicknamed Lola — and drifting in the desert twilight. Tree’s immense talent is eventually noticed and he’s granted a chance to compete in a pro drifting event. But is talent alone enough to win? In order to realize his secret dream, Tree must learn to overcome his aversion to others and seek out a mentor — which also means coming to terms with the ghosts he’s spent his life trying to keep at bay.

By turns melancholy and exhilarating, Drifter is an existential action film, establishing Kang as a sensitive observer and confirming his singular charisma as a leading man. But Kang is also committed to making the sport as real to life as possible, evidenced in the film’s casting of genuine car-world icons such as Adam LZ, Dai Yoshihara, Rutledge Wood, James Pumphrey, and Brian Scotto, co-founder of the motorsport lifestyle brand Hoonigan. Get ready to hold your breath, oversteer, and glide.

ANITA LEE

Content advisory: explicit violence, bullying