Lifetime movie ‘Big Driver’ veers into inane revenge fantasy

Stephen King collaborates for the first time with the female-focused cable net Lifetime for this original movie based on one of the prolific author’s stories.

Maria Bello stars as a mystery novelist who falls victim to a savage crime — the horrifying details are shown repeatedly, to a fault — in a remote part of New England (vintage King). This launches her on a quest for payback.

The movie, which also features the unlikely duo of Olympia Dukakis and Joan Jett, gets off to a decent start. But like some of King’s other tales, it loses its way, devolving into a rape revenge fantasy whose potency is diluted by silly gimmicks like a talking GPS system with a mind of its own.

Rating: [s3r star=2/4]

“BIG DRIVER”

7 p.m. Saturday on Lifetime

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