Driving Lessons is a movie that has its moments. But it is a collection of moments that don’t end up gelling together as a whole though.
Parts of the film were very funny, but as I sat watching I couldn’t help feeling it could have all been better. Many scenes, despite a promising build up, fell flat on their face.
Maybe it is because the story’s premise was a little too predictable. Eccentric old actress, Evie Walton (Julie Walters) manages to guide emotionally stunted teenage boy, Ben Marshall (Rupert Grint) somewhat out of his introspectiveness.
One thing I could relate to though was the improvement in Ben’s driving skills when cast in the deep end, as it were, by way of an impromptu drive from his home in London, to Edinburgh. You only really learn something when the training wheels come off!
Up unto that point though Ben’s overbearing mother (Laura Linney) had insisted on coaching him. She was not entirely focussed on the task however, for reasons that soon become apparent…
I loved Rupert Grint’s performance in the movie but I have to agree about scenes falling flat. I enjoyed the movie but I kept on thinking while watching it that this movie could have been so much better if they had further developed and explored some of the scenes and the entire story so I agree with your comments.
That’s it. For instance I was expecting Ben’s mother to go off at him when he returned from Scotland… but virtually nothing happened in the end.