Driving Lessons (2006)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Jeremy Brock

Writer:

Jeremy Brock (written by)

Release Date:

13 October 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

All Ben wanted was a job. All Evie needed was a friend.

Plot:

A coming of age story about a shy teenage boy trying to escape from the influence of his domineering mother. His world changes when he begins to work for a retired actress. |

Plot Keywords:

Teenage Boy | Actress | Coming Of Age | Recital | Hotel

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Rupert Grint	...	Ben Marshall
Fay Cohen	...	Old Lady 1
Ruby Mortlock	...	Old Lady 2
Don Wetherhead	...	Old Man
Laura Linney	...	Laura Marshall
Oliver Milburn	...	Peter
Tamsin Egerton	...	Sarah
Nicholas Farrell	...	Robert Marshall
Jim Norton	...	Mr. Fincham
Julie Walters	...	Evie Walton
Chandra Ruegg	...	Chandra
Ricky Champ	...	Tough Looking Man
Rupert Holliday-Evans	...	Store Manager (as Rupert Holiday Evans)
Harriet Brock	...	Child at Campsite
James Brock	...	Child at Campsite

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language, sexual content and some thematic material.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A | USA:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | UK:12 (edited version) | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

ContentFilm

Trivia:

Screenwriter Jeremy Brock was reportedly inspired by his own teenage experiences working for Dame Peggy Ashcroft.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the initial Edinburgh scenes, the background changes from raining to cloudy to almost clear, to rainy, all basically within the same shot.

Quotes:

Ben: [about Evie to Laura] She needs me, She's my friend...

Movie Connections:

References One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Soundtrack:

El Agua De La Vida

Bubblegum Harold and Maude

A British twist on Harold and Maude, Driving Lessons features a reined-in Rupert Grint and an over-the-top Julie Walters. While it is true that Grint is stone-faced like a redheaded Benjamin Braddock for the first half of the movie, it does not deter from the quirky family film--there are things going on that are out of his character's experience that would create a shell-shocked reaction. The chemistry between Walters and Grint carries the film, though Laura Linney's hard work to make her written stereotype human is also notable. These performances combined with a fun poppy soundtrack with artists like Sufjan Stevens, John Renbourn and Salsa Celtica make this kids popcorn flick worth a Saturday afternoon.