Review of Driving Miss Daisy (2015) by Eric B — 01 Jun 2008

What a truly admirable work of art. Driving Miss Daisy is one of those movies that gives you a sense when you're done watching it that there may be hope for us after all.

Morgan Freeman plays his role as an overly zealous, joyful man, that remains so no matter what obstacles come his way. From his portrayal, and of the setting itself we get a sense that Hoke has had a difficult many years, but we infer that his attitude and optimistic outlook on life has gotten him through. Morgan Freeman's charisma of his character, and inflection of voice embodoes that of the old southern "black man", and he allows some nervousness to show through by movements he does with his mouth (subtle, but very important). Hoke really is one of Hollywood's most loveable characters.

And then there's Miss Daisy, played by Jessica Tandy, who's astounding ability with this role is only made more incredible by the fact that she was over 80 years of age when she did it. Ms. Daisy is a tight-knit woman, with a sassy and oftentimes crass personality. She deals with most people in her life with a style that suggests she considers herself "above" them, (especially the black characters of the movie, and even more especially Hoke). At first she is very annoyed by Hoke and finds every opportunity she can to criticize him (and then the scene cuts brilliantly right after she delivers the line).

Though Hoke can't see Ms. Daisy's weaknesses and fears most times, the audience can. Consider a scene when Ms. Daisy is cooking chicken, and Hoke enters the room and respectfully but teasingly tells her she has the fire on too high. "Mind your business" she says, and Hoke smiles and shakes his head while leaving the room. As soon as he is gone, Ms. Daisy glances to make sure he cannot see as she hastily turns down the flame. This scene is such a representation of the essence of Ms. Daisy.

Of course once she gets to know Hoke, she discovers how truly great a man he is, and with her old age she gains the wisdom of how to properly judge the human spirit. By the time the ending roles around, Ms. Daisy also becomes one of Hollywood's truly great characters, and the final scene of Driving Miss Daisy is one of the most unforgettable of all 20th Century cinema.