Driving Lessons

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Driving Lessons

PG-13,

2006,

1h 38m,

Comedy/

Drama

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Watchlist

49%

74 Reviews

Tomatometer

71%

100,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

49%

Tomatometer

74 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Teenage Ben (Rupert Grint) lives a sheltered life thanks to an overprotective mother (Laura Linney) and a weak-willed father (Nicholas Farrell). The youth takes a summer job as the assistant to Evie Walton (Julie Walters), an aging actress. At first the job is simple, but then Evie presses Ben into service as her chauffeur, even though he lacks a license. Ben must take the first step into adulthood, and learns how to have fun along the way.

Critics Consensus

Though it has charm, Driving Lessons is a middling offering in the genre where the youngster coming of age meets a quirky senior who teaches valuable lessons about life.

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Amy Nicholson

I.E. Weekly

Jul 2, 2009

C

Brock subscribes to the new school of British Imperialism: crafting cozy little trifles that conquer foreigners with preciousness.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Dec 18, 2006

Writer-director Jeremy Brock has backloaded much of the hero's family conflict into the final scenes, which collapse under the weight.

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Tom Keogh

Seattle Times

Dec 8, 2006

3/4

Driving Lessons is a poignant miniature that offers [Julie] Walters a chance to be typically wonderful - saucy but deep - and [Rupert] Grint to stretch quite commendably.

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Tricia Olszewski

Washington City Paper

Mar 6, 2008

Driving Lessons is as dull as its title.

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Christopher Campbell

Cinematical

Sep 18, 2007

2.5/5

They say that truth is stranger than fiction, but as we see in most autobiographical coming-of-age films, adolescent truth is just as boring as adolescent fiction.

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Brian Webster

Apollo Guide

Jul 2, 2007

71/100

The highlight here is most certainly Julie Walters, who hams it up royally, and does a fine job of making her role as an aging actress more than just a cartoon character.

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Jeremy Brock

Director

Laura Linney

Laura Marshall

Julie Walters

Evie Walter

Rupert Grint

Ben Marshall

Tamsin Egerton

Sarah

Michelle Duncan

Bryony

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Synopsis

Teenage Ben (Rupert Grint) lives a sheltered life thanks to an overprotective mother (Laura Linney) and a weak-willed father (Nicholas Farrell). The youth takes a summer job as the assistant to Evie Walton (Julie Walters), an aging actress. At first the job is simple, but then Evie presses Ben into service as her chauffeur, even though he lacks a license. Ben must take the first step into adulthood, and learns how to have fun along the way.

Director: Jeremy Brock
Producer: Julia Chasman
Screenwriter: Jeremy Brock
Production Co: Rubber Tree Plant, United Casting
Rating: PG-13 (Some Thematic Material|Sexual Content|Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Oct 13, 2006
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 17, 2007
Box Office (Gross USA): $238.8K
Runtime: 1h 38m

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