Driving Lessons

source: Driving Lessons

Every movie I have PPV'd because Leonard Maltin praised it to the skies has blown chunks! Every single one! When will I ever learn? Evie is a raving Old Bag who thinks nothing of saying she's dying of breast cancer to get her way! Laura is an insufferable Medusa filled with The Holy Spirit (and her hubby's protégé)! Caught between these harpies is Medusa's dumb-as-a-rock boy who has been pressed into weed-pulling servitude by The Old Bag! As I said, when will I ever learn? I was temporarily lifted out of my malaise when The Old Bag stuck her head in a sink, but, unfortunately, she did not die. I was temporarily lifted out of my malaise again when Medusa got mowed down, but, unfortunately, she did not die. It should be a capital offense to torture audiences like this! Without Harry Potter to kick him around, Rupert Grint is just a pair of big blue eyes that practically bulge out of its sockets. Julie Walters's scenery-chewing (especially the scene when she "plays" God) is even more shameless than her character. At least this Harold bangs some bimbo instead of Maude. For that, I am truly grateful. And if you're reading this Mr. Maltin, you owe me $3.99!

i think i watched this on a Sunday night, and it was BORING. even my parents couldn't stand it. i have to say though, its better than "THE CORE" the beginning scene where Grint crashes his car on a driving test was a laughable start, but it went downhill with the slow road trip that followed. the annoying parents also put me off, although other would say that they were there for comedy relief. there's one stage when you see Gritn and Walter first meeting, and you wander if they're going to end up in bed together; UGH! that never happened thankfully. i never stayed to see the end, i hope everyone else who saw it got a better time out of it than me.

Loved this movie, what a hoot. Rupert and Julie are great together with Rupert being almost poker faced against Julie's animation, which worked well. Laura did a good job as the overbearing mother.Julie of course is marvellous as usual. While this movie will keep you laughing most of the time it also has a poignant side to it as it unravels the secrets in the lives of the main characters. Interesting that it was entitled Driving Lessons as this might lead you to believe this is the main feature of the movie which directly it is not though it certainly could be seen as "Ben" finally being in the driving seat in his own life. Like most things that are funny in life there is always the sad side and there are some moving moments in this movie. Very enjoyable movie and well worth watching.

I just finished watching this movie and am disappointed to say that I didn't enjoy it a bit. It is so slow Slow and uninteresting. This kid from Harry Potter plays a shy teenager with an rude mother, and then one day the rude mother tells the kid to find a job so that they could accommodate an old guy apparently having no place to live has started to live with his family and therefore the kid goes to work for a old lady. And this old lady who is living all alone teaches him about girls, driving car and life! I couldn't get how an 18 year old guy enjoy spending time with an awful lady in her 80s. Sorry if my comments on this movie has bothered people who might have enjoyed it, I could be wrong as I am not British and may not understand the social and their family structure and way of life. Mostly the movie is made for the British audience.

The plot of this movie is a very old one. Religious people are weak at best or hypocrites at worst. Real life is to be found in friendship, drinks, one night stands, and secular art. The main character predictably discovers this in the end and is thereby saved from a life of saintly drudgery. That said, the performances are spectacular and save the movie from being a dull cliché. There are only really four main characters -- Rupert Grint (the parson's kid), Nicholas Farrell (his weak cuckolded father), Laura Linney (the parson's errant wife), and Julie Walters (the alcoholic aging actress who hires Grint on as a kind of personal servant and teaches him about "real" life). Grint can say more with his angry, furrowed stare than with any line. So they don't give him much to say. He even managed to maintain that stare when he sank beneath his bathwater. Linney plays a truly frightening holy witch. Farrell is depressingly repressed with a hopeless stoicism. Walters goes way over the top -- demanding, manipulating, cursing and generally playing the outrageous English eccentric. It's all been done many times before, but this cast does a very good job of it too. Yes, the film obviously was inspired by Harold and Maude, but thankfully Grint and Walters do not consummate their relationship. At least as far as we know, although they spend lots of time sleeping together in a tent. They just become pals and Grint grows up. He learns his "driving lesson." It's not a bad movie, but I wouldn't fight for a parking place to see it. You've seen it all before.

I watched this film on ITV and I enjoyed it a lot. It was very watchable and very funny. Julie Walters and Rupert Grint were perfect in their roles. Julie Walters gets a special mention since she creates a wonderful diverse interesting character to watch. Ben's character is kinda shy and Stoic but the changes he goes through are wonderfully acted out by Rupert Grint, I would definitely say he has a future in acting after Harry Potter. Laura Linney is quite good in her role as Ben's over protective mother, the only thing they went wrong with is by making her too....Villain-y. Ben's father was also an interesting contrast to his mother, and in the end he is quite honourable too. The only character i wasn't keen on was Bryony, she was a bit plain and unnecessary i thought. Overall this is a great comedy drama that is very easy to watch. one of my favourite films of the year easily.

Ben, (Rupert Grint), is a deeply unhappy adolescent, the son of his unhappily married parents. His father, (Nicholas Farrell), is a vicar and his mother, (Laura Linney), is ... well, let's just say she's a somewhat hypocritical soldier in Jesus' army. It's only when he takes a summer job as an assistant to a foul-mouthed, eccentric, once-famous and now-forgotten actress Evie Walton, (Julie Walters), that he finally finds himself in true 'Harold and Maude' fashion. Of course, Evie is deeply unhappy herself and it's only when these two sad sacks find each other that they can put their mutual misery aside and hit the road to happiness. Of course it's corny and sentimental and very predictable but it has a hard side to it, too and Walters, who could sleep-walk her way through this sort of thing if she wanted, is excellent. It's when she puts the craziness to one side and finds the pathos in the character, (like hitting the bottle and throwing up in the sink), that she's at her best. The problem is she's the only interesting character in the film (and it's not because of the script which doesn't do anybody any favours). Grint, on the other hand, isn't just unhappy; he's a bit of a bore as well while Linney's starched bitch is completely one-dimensional. (Still, she's got the English accent off pat). The best that can be said for it is that it's mildly enjoyable - with the emphasis on the mildly.

I can't believe Rupert Grint did this movie. I was shocked when I saw the trailer for it I had to think about it. I thought: 1) Either Rupert was chosen to be in this film because he fit the part 2) Rupert wanted to do this film 3) He was the only one that would do a movie at that time. One things for sure I really want to see this movie with the only guy that understands me, is like me I'm shy but also outgoing. If my guy ever asks me out who is like Ben. I would consider myself the luckiest girl in my high school. Lets hope that he would consider himself lucky too. If he is really shy I don't mind because he already did a little courage by asking me out. If he dumps me I would tear him apart not literally.

"Driving Lessons" sees two middle class quintessential British families meet head on, when Grint's character comes into contact with Evee, (Walters), a slightly deranged out-of-touch actress with an ego. Grint betrays his overpowering, and over-Christian mother, (Linney), and goes off travelling with Evee to Scotland, to accompany her on a trip to participate in a Poetry reading, something she claims could be her last, due to an illness. Grint's portrayal of a caged youngster, brainwashed by an overbearing, and even hypocritical mother, is the masterpiece of this film. His portrayal of a downtrodden teen in search of his true morals, and happiness, is captivating to watch unfold throughout. The film is sharply shot, and well paced, with very few moments leaving you tired, an achievement, particularly considering the nature of the plot. Walters really grabs hold of her character with both hands, and successfully brings the audience to her side of things, emphasising Linney's ironic immorality throughout. Her role in "Driving Lessons" is enjoyable and memorable in every sense. The plot develops nicely, leaving the audience cheering on Grint as he chases back to Evee's place during his lunch break during his stint at a local bookshop to apologise for his wrongdoings. The values in the piece are continued and brought out thoroughly up until the final drag, in a very consistent way. The overbearing, (and relieving), main idea being that religion doesn't lead to happiness, and certainly doesn't lead to morality. The audience are left sympathising with the radical but lovable Evee, with her and Grint making an irresistible partnership on the big screen, transferred directly from their debut in the "Harry Potter" series. Charismatic and beautiful acting together with a tight and fact paced script make this a must-see this Christmas.