# The Stunt Driver
*The Stunt Driver* is a 2026 Canadian comedy-drama biopic written and directed by Michael Dowse, starring [Jay Baruchel](https://www.edgepedia.org/jay-baruchel) as the real-life stunt driver [Ken Carter](https://www.edgepedia.org/ken-carter), who spent years trying to jump a rocket-powered car a mile across the [St. Lawrence River](https://www.edgepedia.org/st-lawrence-river) from Canada to the United States in the mid-1970s.[1](https://www.amcglobalmedia.com/2026/07/21/ahead-of-tiff-world-premiere-independent-film-company-acquires-the-stunt-driver/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Michael Dowse, his eleventh feature film[1](https://www.amcglobalmedia.com/2026/07/21/ahead-of-tiff-world-premiere-independent-film-company-acquires-the-stunt-driver/) |
| Subject | Ken Carter, the Montreal-based "Mad Canadian" stunt driver, and his attempt to jump a rocket-powered Lincoln Continental across the mile-wide St. Lawrence River[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver) • [3](https://www.joblo.com/the-stunt-driver-tiff-review/) |
| Principal cast | Jay Baruchel (Ken Carter), Ed Helms (Dick Keller), Ben Foster (Evel Knievel), Laurence Leboeuf (Gloria), Dan Bakkedahl (Bill Wilkins)[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver) |
| Release | World premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival; wide theatrical release September 25, 2026, distributed by Independent Film Company[1](https://www.amcglobalmedia.com/2026/07/21/ahead-of-tiff-world-premiere-independent-film-company-acquires-the-stunt-driver/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver) |
| Runtime and rating | 99 minutes per Apple TV and Métropole Films, 1h 34m per Rotten Tomatoes; rated R for language[4](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-stunt-driver/umc.cmc.1msa1ox6b7vf41ksevw01yddh) • [5](https://www.metropolefilms.com/index.php/filmlink?id=8ee9f6e8-9908-ef11-ba56-0efdbb9167fd&lang=en) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver) |
| Reception | 73% on the Tomatometer from 41 reviews (30 fresh, 11 rotten), average of rated reviews 6.40/10; gross USA box office $106.8K[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver) |
## Spoilers
### Story and subject
Set in the mid-seventies, the film recounts the true underdog story of Canada's Ken Carter, a world champion stunt driver who battles personal demons and public doubt to attempt what everyone around him considers impossible: a mile-long jump across the St. Lawrence River in a rocket car.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver) Carter, a Montreal-based stuntman known professionally as "The Mad Canadian," specialized in epic car jumps and had a professional rivalry with [Evel Knievel](https://www.edgepedia.org/evel-knievel), though he bristled at comparisons to the American daredevil.[3](https://www.joblo.com/the-stunt-driver-tiff-review/) The planned jump would have taken off in Morrisburg, Ontario, and landed on the New York side of the river.[6](https://apnews.com/article/c9f336e18234561651158b11aa05dcfa)
In the film, Carter's dream is to end his 30-year career with a big jump, a big paycheck, and to one-up his American rival. He enlists engineer Dick Keller ([Ed Helms](https://www.edgepedia.org/ed-helms)), the inventor of the rocket car, and builds a 90-foot ramp, while two vying crews film documentaries leading up to the event.[5](https://www.metropolefilms.com/index.php/filmlink?id=8ee9f6e8-9908-ef11-ba56-0efdbb9167fd&lang=en) • [3](https://www.joblo.com/the-stunt-driver-tiff-review/) Keller, unlike the fantasist Carter, wants him to at least try to be somewhat safe, putting him at odds with the financiers of the stunt, for whom the outcome is a great story either way.[3](https://www.joblo.com/the-stunt-driver-tiff-review/) Carter's long-suffering wife Gloria (Laurence Leboeuf) supports his schemes even though she knows they may get him killed.[3](https://www.joblo.com/the-stunt-driver-tiff-review/)
## Production and release
Independent Film Company announced on July 21, 2026 that it had acquired U.S. rights to the film ahead of its world premiere at the 2026 [Toronto International Film Festival](https://www.edgepedia.org/toronto-international-film-festival), followed by a theatrical release on September 25.[1](https://www.amcglobalmedia.com/2026/07/21/ahead-of-tiff-world-premiere-independent-film-company-acquires-the-stunt-driver/) The film was produced by Jennifer Wilson and Michael Dowse for Film Cardinal, with Baruchel, Joe Iacono, Dave Bishop, and James Pugh among the executive producers.[1](https://www.amcglobalmedia.com/2026/07/21/ahead-of-tiff-world-premiere-independent-film-company-acquires-the-stunt-driver/) Rotten Tomatoes lists Telefilm Canada as a production company and records a streaming release date of October 27, 2026.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver)
## Documentary source and form
The film draws heavily on *The Devil at Your Heels*, a 1981 [National Film Board of Canada](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-board-of-canada) documentary about Carter, and weaves the making of that documentary into its own structure: the film-within-the-film appears in grainy full-frame 16mm-style footage while the main story is shot in widescreen 2.35:1.[3](https://www.joblo.com/the-stunt-driver-tiff-review/) • [7](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-stunt-driver-jay-baruchel-movie-review-2026) Reviewer Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com called this dual-format approach the most ambitious thing about the film, noting its period costume and production design.[7](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-stunt-driver-jay-baruchel-movie-review-2026)
## Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes the film holds a 73% Tomatometer from 41 reviews, with 30 fresh and 11 rotten, and an average of rated reviews of 6.40/10; the audience Popcornmeter had fewer than 50 ratings.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver) Critics singled out Baruchel's performance. The *Boston Globe*'s Odie Henderson gave the film 2/4, writing that Baruchel commits to the trash-talking, egomaniacal persona Carter put on for cameras but that the film never really reveals who Carter is.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver) The *New York Times*' Ben Kenigsberg wrote that a strength of the performance is that Baruchel never makes Carter a clown, and the *Globe and Mail*'s Rachel Ho called it a defining role for the actor.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver) JoBlo's Chris Bumbray scored the film 8/10, calling it an affectionate look at Carter's career that treats its subject with respect.[3](https://www.joblo.com/the-stunt-driver-tiff-review/) Tallerico, reviewing from TIFF, found the film's writing uneven and its supporting characters underserved, but praised Baruchel for finding a balance of fear, showmanship, and competitiveness without turning Carter into a caricature.[7](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-stunt-driver-jay-baruchel-movie-review-2026)
The film grossed $106.8K at the U.S. box office, according to Rotten Tomatoes.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver)
## References
1. [Ahead Of TIFF World Premiere, Independent Film Company Acquires "The Stunt Driver", AMC Global Media (July 21, 2026)](https://www.amcglobalmedia.com/2026/07/21/ahead-of-tiff-world-premiere-independent-film-company-acquires-the-stunt-driver/)
2. [The Stunt Driver, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_stunt_driver)
3. [The Stunt Driver (TIFF) Review, JoBlo (Chris Bumbray)](https://www.joblo.com/the-stunt-driver-tiff-review/)
4. [The Stunt Driver, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-stunt-driver/umc.cmc.1msa1ox6b7vf41ksevw01yddh)
5. [Stunt Driver, The, Métropole Films](https://www.metropolefilms.com/index.php/filmlink?id=8ee9f6e8-9908-ef11-ba56-0efdbb9167fd&lang=en)
6. [On shores of Lake Ontario, the Toronto International Film Festival bristles at Trump's trade war, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/c9f336e18234561651158b11aa05dcfa)
7. [The Stunt Driver review: Jay Baruchel comedy almost sticks the landing, RogerEbert.com (Brian Tallerico)](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-stunt-driver-jay-baruchel-movie-review-2026)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Comedy and romantic films (individual works) › Comedies of 2026 and later › Titles K to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license