Watch Learning to Drive For Free

That was an excellent one.

Admirable film.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Now and then along comes a film with a quiet little story about they way we are walking through our lives – a glance at a situation in communication and relationships of friends that makes the film soar above the often tedious riffraff of Marvel comics and gangster action films - an becomes a memorable experience that merits seeing again and again. Written by Sarah Kerochan and directed by Isabel Coixet (Elegy, Paris, je t'aime, My Life Without Me, The Secret Life of Words), one of the primary reasons the film works such magic are the consummate performances by Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley. The chemistry among all the cast members is on target.Wendy (Patrician Clarkson), a self-absorbed New York book critic, is shocked to reality by the sudden end of her marriage to Ted (Jake Weber) and the decision by her daughter Tasha (Grace Gummer) to live as a farmer in Vermont. Always dependent on her husband for driving, she must now learn to take the wheel on her own. Her instructor Darwan (Ben Kingsley) is a Sikh Indian, living in America after being jailed in India for political reasons and working two jobs as a taxi driver and a driving instructor, who watches with alarm as his pupil falls apart at the seams. He himself is contemplating an arranged marriage with Jasleen (Sarita Choudhury), a woman he has never met. As these two lives intersect, both will change in unpredictable ways, discovering aspects in each other's backgrounds, beliefs, vocabularies and philosophies.This is an example how a little gentle film can become immensely impressive when in the hands of pros such as Clarkson and Kingsley. Highly Recommended.

Based on a short story by Katha Pollit, a columnist for the Nation magazine, Learning to Drive is a small movie with a big heart. While the film is risk averse and will not be mistaken for a timeless work of art, its story of two middle-aged people of vastly different backgrounds assisting each other in a time of crisis will leave you with a warm glow. Directed by Isabel Coixtet ("Another Me") with a screenplay by Sarah Kernochan ("Sommersby"), Wendy (Patricia Clarkson, "Maze Runners: The Scorch Trials") Learning to Drive is about a writer and book critic whose 21-year marriage to Ted (Jake Weber, "White House Down") has just ended in a toxic confrontation in a taxicab and has to move outside of her comfort zone to regain her self-confidence.Deeply distraught by the separation, Wendy wants to get away from New York City to visit her daughter Tasha (Grace Gummer, "The Homesman"), a college student who is working on a farm in Vermont, but doesn't know how to drive. The driver of the taxi, Darwan Singh Tur (Ben Kingsley, "The Walk"), a former college professor in India and now a part-time driving instructor was the unwitting witness to the marital breakup was. After he returns an envelope that Wendy left in his cab, Wendy hires him to provide driving lessons and soon discovers that he is a calming influence who has a lot to teach her other than how to put on the brakes.Wendy's devotion to the written word has restricted her willingness to challenge the outside world. Darwan leads her through her fears with patience and charm and encourages her to keep pursuing her goal even after she fails her driving test. During the lessons, however, he has to handle her road rage and lack of self-confidence as well as cope with his own incidents of racism coming from other motorists and pedestrians, one who refers to him as "Osama" and rips the turban from his head. Darwan is about to be married in a union arranged by his family according to Sikh tradition and tells Wendy that his family best knows his needs and that such a crucial decision should not be left to random choice.When his bride Jasleen (Sarita Choudhury, "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2") arrives from India, however, she is bewildered by her new environment, remains in the apartment, fearful of meeting people and her fears are confirmed when Darwan seems troubled over her lack of education. It is a time of transition for both of them and it will call upon all their resources of patience, tolerance, and understanding to see it through. Learning to Drive is marked by outstanding performances by Clarkson and Kingsley who bring a special understanding to their roles and put us in touch with the beauty of sharing who we are with others, even when it is uncomfortable to do so.

The deceptively simple act of driving is rich with symbolism that can easily be seen as reflective of various aspects of life. Think about it: stepping on the gas, hitting cruise control, slamming on the brakes, looking in the rear view mirror, allowing yourself to get distracted, having to keep an eye on those around you, missing your exit, finding yourself in unfamiliar territory, etc., etc., etc. Driving as metaphor is a device that the comedy-drama "Learning to Drive" (R, 1:30) uses to maximum advantage.Wendy Shields (Patricia Clarkson) is a self-absorbed New York book editor who is slow to realize that her 20+ year marriage is coming to an end. She is shocked when her husband, Ted (Jack Weber), tells her that he's leaving her. Even though Wendy understands that Ted has been cheating on her, she still believes that this is a phase and he'll come back. She's naturally distraught about the situation, but it seems to be less about losing the love of her life and more about losing the life she loved. She was very comfortable in her marriage and her routine. Maybe too comfortable. Maybe that's what doomed the marriage. Both Wendy and Ted stopped trying. The difference is that Ted realized it and Wendy didn't. Rather than talking about it, Ted acted out and Wendy was blind-sided. And two lives were upended.The other difference between Wendy and Ted is that Ted had something to move on to, while Wendy is having trouble moving on at all. Not only had Wendy depended on Ted for comfort and security, but also for driving. As residents of the Big Apple, with all its subways and taxis, they didn't drive much, but when they did, it was Ted behind the wheel. Wendy doesn't even have a license or know how to drive… how to get anywhere on her own. (Starting to see those metaphors I was talking about?) Wendy needs to learn to drive – to "get from A to B", but also to establish her independence, and to move forward – figuratively and literally. She wants to be able to visit her college-aged daughter, Tasha (Grace Gummer), who lives on a farm – for from New York's public transportation system. Enter Darwan Singh Tur.Actually, Darwan (Ben Kingsley) entered the story in the movie's very first scene. He happened to be the cab driver who picked up Wendy and Ted outside the restaurant where he told her that he was leaving her. After Darwan dropped Ted off at his mistress' house and then took Wendy home, he found an envelope that she had left in his cab. The next day he brought her the envelope, but this time he was driving his other "company car", that of a driving instructor. Wendy notices and asks for his card. She calls to schedule her first lesson, but Darwan has to cajole her to even get into the car. Her reluctance turns to fear as soon as she gets behind the wheel. Fortunately for Wendy, Darwan is a good teacher, and a good and patient man. He gets her to pull away from the curb… and the metaphors continue.As Darwan teaches Wendy about the finer points of life, er, I mean… driving, the two form an unlikely friendship. As much as Wendy needs Darwan's patience and companionship, he needs her wisdom. He has agreed to a marriage arranged for him by his sister back in India. When his bride, Mata (Daniela Lavender) arrives in the U.S., he doesn't know how to relate to her. Both Darwan and Mata are middle-aged and never married, but they are different in every other way, and, one day after meeting, they're husband and wife. Darwan soon finds himself as desperate and clueless as Wendy was when she first entered his cab, and his life. As with any driving lesson, they each experience stops and starts in learning to handle their new lives, but each benefits from the wisdom and inherent goodness of the other."Learning to Drive" is a slight, but pleasant enough lesson in resilience, perseverance and friendship. The driving metaphors are very effective, if a bit too obvious at times. Clarkson's performance is very good, except for when she oversells the fear that an accomplished woman of her years experiences while engaged in the simplest tasks inside a car. Wendy and Darwan are both likable and amusing characters, even if the film sometimes moves as slowly as Wendy during her first lesson. "C+"

I thought it was clever and thought provoking. The two actors inhabit vastly different worlds, but are so similar in many ways. The message seems to be we are all the same under our veneers of jobs, status, where we live and skin. It's an old theme but really well done this time. Hilarious is the part, that I think many people miss, where the two women are talking about what scoundrels guys are, with all this cheating going on, asking, "why, why?". Then one says, in relation to performing a sex act, "I don't do that anymore. Those days are over. This mouth is retired with a pension". Explaining of course exactly why there is so much infidelity. Guys don't (and won't - ever, never ever - give up sex). The stars are both highly believable, and perfect for their respective roles. It's not over done, gushy, or sentimental. And it all does not work out perfectly in the end. I loved it.