Driving Lessons DVD Review

"Driving Lessons" reviews

DVD

Driving Lessons

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-12-19 16:00:28

Provider

MRIB

DVD Review

Driving Lessons isn't the first film to deal with cross-generational friendships - Hal Ashby's much-acclaimed Harold and Maude did likewise back in 1971 – but it may be the first British film of its type.

Ben (Rupert Grint, aka Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films) is a naive and pedantic 17-year-old who states his age as precisely 17 and a half, living a sheltered life in north London with his vicar father (Nicholas Farrell) and over-protective mother (Laura Linney), who's teaching him to drive. Ben, however, isn't learning much so takes a summer job as an assistant to ageing actress, Dame Evie Walton (Julie Walters). She puts him on the path to adulthood, opening his eyes to freedom of thought and art when they take an impromptu road trip to Edinburgh for a poetry reading.

Alas, Walton doesn't have the same impact on Ben's mother, who has forbidden her son from staying out all night. Put it down to jealousy, since Linney is by far the weakest link in Jeremy Brock's film by dint of her shaky English accent and, worse still, her imperious manner. In contrast, Walters (whose character is reputedly modelled on the Oscar-winning actress Peggy Ashcroft, for whom Brock spent a summer working long ago) is hilariously foul-mouthed, while Grint surpasses anything he has done before.

At times, perhaps, Driving Lessons is a trifle cute, but Walters' performance is something to behold, resulting in a better-than-average coming-of-age story.

DVD also features exclusive interviews with director Jeremy Brock, Julie Walters and Rupert Grint and deleted scenes.

Copyright © MRIB 2006.