Driving Lessons

views updated

Driving Lessons ★★½ 2006 (PG-13)

Red-headed Grint gets to step out from just being Harry Potter's sidekick in this cozy generational comedy. Ben is a shy teen who's usually dragged into helping steely mom Laura (Linney) with her Christian charity work, even agreeing to her suggestion of a summer job. He ends up with the alcoholic and somewhat delusional Evie (Walters), an over-the-hill actress who convinces Ben to drive her to Edinburgh, a trip that turns out to be quite eventful. It's a case of dueling divas for the carcass of one bewildered boy—predictable, but it's still a laugh. 98m/C DVD . GB Julie Walters, Rupert Grint, Laura Linney, Nicholas Farrell, Jim Norton, Tamsin Egerton, Michaelle Duncan; D: Jeremy Brock; W: Jeremy Brock; C: David Katznelson; M: John Renbourn, Clive Carroll.