Hossein Amini: how I coped with adapting the book Drive

I used to read a lot of scriptwriting books before, but it becomes instinct. I think almost what is not said is more important than what is said. The look on the face is the crucial thing. I have not found many of those books that go for that approach; they go for the big speech. The closer to a silent movie a film can be, the better. You obviously need lines of dialogue to engage with characters. But maybe it’s because I can’t write those big fantastic speeches. The Jerry Maguire speech I could never do. For me, it has to sound real, but sometimes heightened realism is better when writing scripts.

Loved this film, and the script. There are more insights from Hossein Amini on his adaptation of Drive at Hossein Amini: how I coped with adapting the book Drive for Hollywood – The National.