Driving Lessons
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Metascore
56 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Julie Walters, Laura Linney, Rupert Grint
  • Summary: An intensely personal rites of passage story about the influence that an older actress has on an awkward young teenager, the son of a vicar, when he goes to work as her assistant. (Sony Pictures Classics)

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    Reviewed by: Bill White
    75
    Driving Lessons was written by director Jeremy Brock as a vehicle for Grint and Walters, who appeared together in the Harry Potter movies. They make a terrific screen couple. Walters is alternately zany and poignant, with Grint the perfect foil, a bemused, confused innocent who only wants to do good.
  2. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Ruthe Stein
    75
    With the aid of a charmingly offbeat story and a jolly good dialect coach, the stars leave you thinking, well done. Their spirited performances help cover up glaring holes in the plot.
  3. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Chuck Wilson
    70
    While Driving Lessons' writer-director, Jeremy Brock, sticks to the all-too-familiar template of such tales, he's given Walters her best role since "Educating Rita." Hamming it up with the precision of a master, she makes this somewhat plodding film a pleasure, as does young Grint.
  4. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Sheri Linden
    60
    Aiming for wacky and heartwarming, the film is, at its sporadic best, a mildly diverting coming-of-age story. At its worst, it feels forced.

See all 19 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. LesleyY.
    10
    I have seen this film numerous times, and while the US version is still good, it's highly lacking in the fact that the swear words were dubbed. That said, the film is highly underrated by critics in that they can't seem to get past the fact that conceptually, it's been done before. Yes, we know that the road-trip has been done, we know the parallels to Harold and Maude, we know, we know, we know. What the critics are overlooking is one of the hardest things to do with a film, that Brock has managed to execute immculately: deep, intimate character development with very little blatant exposition. It gives its audience a lot of credit, showing us the characters and allowing us to realise who they are instead of shoving their attributes down our throats. Definitely of note are the performances by the actors and actresses, all able to pull off Brock's vision of characterisation flawlessly. Laura Linney was perfect, just the right blend of totally out-there crazy and believably broken; Julie Walters shone in her best role since Billy Elliot. And then there's Rupert Grint. This kid is so beyond Potter. His ability to get into the head of the character of Ben, and to show that to us in such an honest and unpretentious way, had me seeing stars. Both he and Walters deserve Oscar nods for this work. The movie is heavy, but not heavy-handed; it's light without being trite. (No, the rhyme was not intentional.) Go see it. You'll be glad you did.… Expand
  2. MarcusP.
    10
    In my opinion, this is one of those movies that only comes around once about every 5 years or so. It is definately a movie that I have added to my top ten list of all time. I pray that this movie, JULIE WALTERS, or RUBERT GRINT (from the Harry Potter movies) don't get overlooked for an Oscar nomination.… Expand
  3. a
    5
    Average film - Grint stumbles awkwardly through the film while Walters shines.
  4. JohnM.
    1
    Good idea and good cast, but poorly implemented. Disjointed and frankly just not interesting to watch, comedically or dramatically

See all 7 User Reviews

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