I'm actually really really liking DRIV3R right now. The mission structure is a bit odd(You don't go around and get missions from people you just do the missions and then after you complete a mission, you do another one. So if you are in a frusterating mission it sucks because you can't go do a different mission. And there is no driving between missions, that is in a seperate mode altogether), the scenery is just kind of.......there to look pretty(And boy does the game look pretty) there isnt much incentive to go around the whole city because you cannot go into any buildings they are just there.
And yes, there is a director mode(I think its called the Thrill Camera) You can go to free drive and create all this mayhem, and then edit where you want the cameras and stuff like that. And on Xbox you can upload your movies on Xbox Live. Some of the movies on there are really, really cool!
I love, love, love the physics too. When you shoot a barrel, it falls down, when you shoot wood, it splinters and sometimes falls. And when you crash head on with another car going 90 mph, you see shit fly!! Tires, metal, glass, all go flying everywhere.
It also has all of the mini-games from the other games. Survival is a riot as usual(especially with all of the physics and stuff) and all of the other games are a lot of fun as well!
All in all, i am really liking it more than I thought I would. Sure its got its trouble spots, but it also has some really great spots too!