Learning to Drive

source: Learning to Drive

LEARNING TO DRIVE 9/12/15 I do not like to drive; actually I am scared of driving. My father used to say being behind the wheel of a car meant that you had one foot in the grave (or was it jail?) and the other in heaven. Those words still resonate with me loud and clear - the aberrant background of my fears. On the other hand, I love to be driven around and rely on the "kindness" of friends. My greatest wish would be to have a chauffeur at my beck and call - ahhh that would be divine! So the title of director Isabel Coixet's new lightweight comedy brought me into the theater to see LEARNING TO DRIVE. I like Patricia Clarkson (Wendy), the heroine, an accomplished literary critic whose husband, a flat emotionless Jake Weber playing Ted the unsatisfied and straying husband, walks out on Wendy and their daughter Tasha (Grace Gummer) to again fulfill his dreams/libido. LEARNING TO DRIVE becomes a metaphor for becoming self-sufficient and not needing jerks to be part of your life. Of course there is a catalyst, the wise, calm, driving instructor/life tutor, Darwan (an always wonderful Ben Kingsley) to lead her on the path to liberation; a pretty straight- forward predictable romantic tale with some detours and insights tossed into the mundane mix. We do get to see the social inequities in life-styles between the upper class, brownstone dwelling Wendy, and Darwan, a Sikh, who lives with three other landsman in one room, sharing the little space they have with camaraderie and resignation. Darwan had been a Professor in India, but was forced to flee, receiving political asylum and becoming an American citizen, earning a living as a cabbie and driving instructor. I was dismayed to see Patricia Clarkson in an impassioned, frenzied moment, begging her errant husband to return to the hearth. I did my usual audible moaning and groaning in the theater - not having the heart to watch these appalling scenes of desperation. I restrained myself from shouting - It will get better, girl - it will! And it does! Meanwhile Darwan's sister in India arranges for him to marry a middle aged woman Jasleen (a lovely Sarita Choudhury,) self-conscious and unsure of herself, having no knowledge of English, who travels to the United States, where we witness the adjustments both she and Darwan need to make in order to fuse their mutual loneliness into an affectionate, respectful relationship. I did get a few driving tips - my goal in seeing LEARNING TO DRIVE - but none as great as the crime fiction novelist Elmore Leonard's recommendation to never come to a stop too close to the car in front of you always leaving enough space to maneuver in case you are hemmed in - one never knows when one needs to exit quickly, particularly at night! Advice I have heeded and dispensed while sitting in the passenger seat -imperiously giving directions - having developed into an accomplished back seat driver.

Hollister and O'Toole were completely charmed by "Learning to Drive" at this week's Provincetown International Film Festival – where it rightfully took home the @hbo #AudienceAward. (At the Toronto International Film Festival audiences ranked it second only to "The Imitation Game".) It is a simple story of two very different lives intersecting, at just the right moment. As Hollister says, it's not just about Learning to Drive – it's really about Learning to Live. Featuring the indomitable re-pairing of Sir Ben Kingsley (yes, our Oscar-winning "Gandhi") and Oscar-nominee (and two-time Emmy winner for "Six Feet Under") Patricia Clarkson. Directed by Barcelona's very talented Isabel Coixet (who also directed Kingsley, Clarkson, and Penélope Cruz in "Elegy"). Screenplay by Sarah Kernochan – who has won two (!) Oscars for her documentaries, and whose artistic output has given O'Toole a complete complex. Grace Gummer (Meryl Streep's real-life daughter) plays the movie daughter of Clarkson (who, like Meryl, went to the Yale School of Drama) and Jake Weber (Patricia Arquette's husband on "Medium"). Hollister and O'Toole – and their complexes – completely apologize when it comes to pronouncing last names in this podcast. Isabel Coixet, Sarah Kernochan – please just come give us a tutorial so we can sing your praises in person. Theatrical release set for August 21, 2015. Podcast extras include: Official "Learning to Drive" trailer Clip from "Elegy" Musical excerpt from "Thoth" (the Oscar-winning short documentary by "Learning to Drive" screenwriter Sarah Kernochan. Now put your seatbelts on first, and go listen to the podcast. http://screenthoughts.net/podcast/learning-drive/

Director Isabel Coixet has put together an altogether pleasant comedy set in Manhattan, although much of the action takes place on the inside—inside Wendy Shields (played by Patricia Clarkson) whose husband has left her for younger woman, forcing her to rethink her life. This leads to the startling decision to learn to drive. It takes place on the inside of her Sikh driving instructor, Darwan (Ben Kingsley), whose life is upended by the arrival of an Indian woman he's never met who's expecting to become his wife. And, it takes place on the inside of Jasleen (Sarita Choudhury), who speaks little English and who has entered a much more foreign territory than a stamp on a passport would suggest. The superb cast conveys all the internal yearning, turmoil, disappointment, and joy experienced by these characters without the burden of a heavy-handed script. Writer Sarah Kernochan based the screenplay on a New Yorker essay and built in plenty of funny and sweet moments, too. Especially appreciated is the opportunity to see the colorful and intriguing interior of a Sikh temple. The cramped confines of a car make for filming challenges worthy of a team of contortionists, but it's an intimate setting, too (as the excellent 2008 British movie Happy Go Lucky proved), in which quotidian experiences are spiced with the ever-present possibility of catastrophe (bicyclists! trucks! jaywalkers!). "You can't always trust people to behave properly," Darwan advises, and this truism resonates with his pupil. Though she would add the caveat that he actually does.

Based on a short story by Katha Pollit, a columnist for the Nation magazine, Learning to Drive is a small movie with a big heart. While the film is risk averse and will not be mistaken for a timeless work of art, its story of two middle-aged people of vastly different backgrounds assisting each other in a time of crisis will leave you with a warm glow. Directed by Isabel Coixtet ("Another Me") with a screenplay by Sarah Kernochan ("Sommersby"), Wendy (Patricia Clarkson, "Maze Runners: The Scorch Trials") Learning to Drive is about a writer and book critic whose 21-year marriage to Ted (Jake Weber, "White House Down") has just ended in a toxic confrontation in a taxicab and has to move outside of her comfort zone to regain her self-confidence. Deeply distraught by the separation, Wendy wants to get away from New York City to visit her daughter Tasha (Grace Gummer, "The Homesman"), a college student who is working on a farm in Vermont, but doesn't know how to drive. The driver of the taxi, Darwan Singh Tur (Ben Kingsley, "The Walk"), a former college professor in India and now a part-time driving instructor was the unwitting witness to the marital breakup was. After he returns an envelope that Wendy left in his cab, Wendy hires him to provide driving lessons and soon discovers that he is a calming influence who has a lot to teach her other than how to put on the brakes. Wendy's devotion to the written word has restricted her willingness to challenge the outside world. Darwan leads her through her fears with patience and charm and encourages her to keep pursuing her goal even after she fails her driving test. During the lessons, however, he has to handle her road rage and lack of self-confidence as well as cope with his own incidents of racism coming from other motorists and pedestrians, one who refers to him as "Osama" and rips the turban from his head. Darwan is about to be married in a union arranged by his family according to Sikh tradition and tells Wendy that his family best knows his needs and that such a crucial decision should not be left to random choice. When his bride Jasleen (Sarita Choudhury, "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2") arrives from India, however, she is bewildered by her new environment, remains in the apartment, fearful of meeting people and her fears are confirmed when Darwan seems troubled over her lack of education. It is a time of transition for both of them and it will call upon all their resources of patience, tolerance, and understanding to see it through. Learning to Drive is marked by outstanding performances by Clarkson and Kingsley who bring a special understanding to their roles and put us in touch with the beauty of sharing who we are with others, even when it is uncomfortable to do so.

This film had potential with Kingsley in the role as the instructor, which I thought was going to have a charming Driving-Miss-Daisy vibe. Unfortunately, this film gives rise to some really awful stereotypes and uncomfortable viewing, such as the instructor hitting on his student because she seems worldly and sophisticated compared to his dowdy Indian bride (who he treats with misogynistic contempt). Patricia Clarkson (who is one of the most incredibly bland actors) plays a highly respected literary critic who apparently is going through a really 'costly divorce', yet has the money to buy herself a beautiful apartment and a very nice looking brand new car straight from the showroom floor. She's a pretty white blonde who is still turning heads and getting some great sex during the divorce, meanwhile, the Indian instructor encounters crude racism and having his flatmates deported. He doesn't step up in his career as a University Professor 'because he is a Sheikh'. Whilst racism like this may exist, reinforcing these stereotypes through the trope of white privilege and normalising it really disconnected me from this film.

"Learning to Drive" is a small film. It's a total chick flick about rather ordinary people with fairly mundane problems. It doesn't offer any momentous insights into the human condition or any brilliant morals about the meaning of life and our purpose on this planet. It is somewhat familiar and fairly predictable with a by-the-numbers structure. It does leave several loose strings lying about. There's a subplot and theme about immigration and xenophobia that adds little and goes nowhere in particular, although it does make Darwan's life seem more multifaceted. There's a romantic subplot involving a banker that seems like it might be an important plot development, but fizzles out. There's an unexpected proclamation of love that doesn't feel earned. Wendy gives Darwan advice that we expect him to accept in some demonstrable manner, but he never does. After suffering several significant financial setbacks, Darwan surrenders one source of income. Patricia Clarkson does a really good job with the role. However, the characters seem a little unbalanced in terms of the ages of the actors and the timeline of the story. At fifty-six, Clarkson plays a woman who has been married twenty-one years to a guy played by an actor five years her junior who looks like he might be in his mid-forties and has a daughter played by a twenty-nine-year-old actress. The actors don't fit the ages of the characters they portray very well, which is distracting despite solid performances. Production values are adequate. There are quite a few shots of actors driving cars and they never seem unrealistic. A few jiggly-cam shots are slightly distracting, but they actually seemed to use a tripod or other camera mount for other shots. A few edits are abrupt and distracting. In general the production values are adequate. My greatest frustration is the lack of a solid moral. Although it is an unabashed chick flick, the moral seems a bit anti-feminist at times. Girls, if you want to keep your men interested, get off your butts, improve yourselves and be more adventurous in the bedroom. And buy some sexy underwear. Overall, a modest production unlikely to stir strong feelings in any direction. It's not very funny or very dramatic. But it offers a seemingly realistic view into the lives of some very ordinary people.

Isabel Coixet's light hearted, soulfully intimate low-key comedy drama is a lovely excursion. Wendy(Patricia Clarkson) is a sharp-tongued book critic, struggling to take control of her life, as her husband walks out of their 21 year old marital life for a younger woman. Her only daughter is off at Vermont. Darwan(Ben Kingsley) is a cab driver and driving instructor, who has a calm dignifying character underneath his authoritative exterior. He is proud of his U.S citizenship as well as his cultural heritage. Darwan is portrayed as an honest, hard-working Sikh immigrant from India. Having never been behind the wheels, Wendy decides to get her driver's license and take control of her life. The clash of personalities lead to scenes of comic tension and witty comedy. Wendy is dumbstruck and tries to understand how Darwan's marriage with Jasleen, a woman he never met before works. The plot also takes time to show the struggles of Jasleen(Sarita Choudhary) to adapt to a new country and husband who is struggling to express his emotions. As the platonic friendship between the culturally diverse lead duo develops, they help each other to move forward with their lives. "The driver's biggest problem is everyone else. You cant always trust people to behave properly" says Darwan. Ain't that true in real life as well? Learning to Drive takes its time developing characters, which is its major strength. Its a very warm and straight-forward movie with very like-able characters and a wonderful perspective of human behavior.

I thought it was clever and thought provoking. The two actors inhabit vastly different worlds, but are so similar in many ways. The message seems to be we are all the same under our veneers of jobs, status, where we live and skin. It's an old theme but really well done this time. Hilarious is the part, that I think many people miss, where the two women are talking about what scoundrels guys are, with all this cheating going on, asking, "why, why?". Then one says, in relation to performing a sex act, "I don't do that anymore. Those days are over. This mouth is retired with a pension". Explaining of course exactly why there is so much infidelity. Guys don't (and won't - ever, never ever - give up sex). The stars are both highly believable, and perfect for their respective roles. It's not over done, gushy, or sentimental. And it all does not work out perfectly in the end. I loved it.

I agree with the positive reviews of this movie, especially the acting performances of Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley. It's too bad that the story doesn't ask too much of Sarita Choudoury as she's capable of more. It's just great to see that older actors aren't left out of the rom-com genre but that's likely one reason why this movie isn't more popular. There may be some expectation out there that love happens only when one is under 30. When love overcomes age as well as cultural and religious barriers we tend to ask "How did that happen". Instead we should sit back and watch how it develops in Learning to Drive. The other reason Learning to Drive may not be popular is that we somehow expect that love must be always consummated. If Wendy and Darwan did develop their friendship beyond the point of achieving Wendy's goal, that would be doing the wrong thing. Darwan is religious as well as married. We should be happy that he's learned how to relate to a woman and use these new skills on his marriage. And Wendy finally learns how to relate to her daughter and not be work focused. Learning to drive is a must-see