Review of Driving Lessons (2006) by Pete J — 01 Nov 2008

This seemed like a good rainy Saturday afternoon rewatch after a kittin-interrupted night's sleep; I thought we might just doze through it. I'd forgotten just how good it is: Julie Walters is wonderful (but that's pretty much a given), Laura Linney plays a fine hypocritical, adulterous, controlling, crazed God-botherer, and (for once) Rupert Grint's pastede on gormless expression actually fits the part.

The direction has a couple of rough edges (the "beautiful view" scene is overextended, and the father-and-son-reconciliation is stereotypical schmaltz) but that's made up for, and how, by the magic touches that litter the script.

All that and Richard Thompson on the soundtrack and a DS Safari; a minor gem that deserves to be better known.