Learning to Drive

Broad Green Pictures | Release Date: August 21, 2015

6.4	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Review this movie

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

TVJerrySep 21, 2015

When Patricia Clarkson gets in Ben Kingsley's cab, her husband has just dumped her. As she sets out to reclaim her life, she decides to take matters in her own hand…behind the wheel. That's when the mellow, wise, patient Indian immigrantWhen Patricia Clarkson gets in Ben Kingsley's cab, her husband has just dumped her. As she sets out to reclaim her life, she decides to take matters in her own hand…behind the wheel. That's when the mellow, wise, patient Indian immigrant comes back into her life. This film is basically a dialogue between the two of them, as we watch their lives change and their relationship grow. As a result, it's all about the performances and with two fine actors like these, it's a pleasure to watch. There's nothing earth-shattering in the story or even emotionally deep, just a sweet, predictable adult movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

GreatMartinSep 4, 2015

In “Learning To Drive” Wendi (Patricia Clarkson) is a successful writer and book critic who we meet as her husband (Jake Weber) is leaving for another woman. Darwan (Ben Kingsley) is a driving instructor who is an American citizen afterIn “Learning To Drive” Wendi (Patricia Clarkson) is a successful writer and book critic who we meet as her husband (Jake Weber) is leaving for another woman. Darwan (Ben Kingsley) is a driving instructor who is an American citizen after looking for political asylum having been a prisoner in India. In addition he is working a second job as a taxi driver and is about to embark in an arranged marriage with an older woman (Sarita Choudhury) from his previous country.

Wendi, being a New Yorker--“Queens is not New York” --has never learned, never needed to learn how to drive--”With buses, cabs and trains you don’t have to learn to drive in New York (Manhattan)--consequently you know these two people will be thrown together especially with Darwan a straight ahead, sage, correct way of thinking, metaphor spouting wise man and Wendi a writer with imagination, no discipline, who only in her writing is focused and otherwise not too smart about other people.

Darwan, as a cab driver, witnesses the break up between Wendi and her husband as they are his fares after the two storm out of a restaurant. Wendi’s daughter, Tasher (Grace Gummer) goes to school in Vermont, and works on a farm, so in order to see her daughter--”My husband always did the driving”--which is not near any accessible transportation, she decides to take driving lessons and the two people of different temperaments, cultures, different thoughts on marriage are brought together for this ‘small’ independent movie. No, it doesn’t go where you think it will but only by a near miss.

Ben Kingsley, having a thicker accent than he did as Ghandi, brings more to the role than the script gives him in scenes as when he is harassed for his race or talks about what happened to him in India while Patricia Clarkson is luminous and at the same time, within the same scene, uncomprehending what is happening to her. There is a funny sex scene with a blind date and Samantha Bee has the best, and funniest line, in the movie playing Wendi’s sister.

The two leads, as expected give excellent performances, Jake Weber is strong in his scenes with Clarkson and this is the first time I have been impressed with Grace Gummer though her role is woefully underwritten. Sarita Choudhury introduces an interesting aspect to the film which could have added another dimension if the screenplay by Sarah Kernochan and the direction by Isabel Coixet had followed through.

“Learning How To Drive” is a 90 minute movie that holds your attention with the acting, what the film could have been and what it does and doesn’t do in the short running time.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

foxgroveJun 13, 2016

Going in to ‘Learning to Drive’ without any fore knowledge as to what it’s about one could be forgiven for expecting to be seeing a comedy. Therefore, it comes as a bit of a surprise to find that it is actually quite a serious little drama.Going in to ‘Learning to Drive’ without any fore knowledge as to what it’s about one could be forgiven for expecting to be seeing a comedy. Therefore, it comes as a bit of a surprise to find that it is actually quite a serious little drama. The story concerns a man (Ben Kingsley) and a woman (Patricia Clarkson) from very different cultures who, in the course of their time together as driving instructor and student, are able to embrace qualities from each other that have hitherto been lacking in their lives. It is a slight and insubstantial film, but there is sufficient originality and quirkiness in both writing and acting to appreciate its existence. It’s also great to see Patricia Clarkson in a rare leading role and she and Kingsley work well together. If ultimately the film falls short due to its limited ambition, it at least deserves recognition for attempting something different, albeit in a minor key.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews