Learning to Drive (2014)

Wow - this one takes the cake in bad movies. Ben Kingsley at 70 odd years, is practically covered in black shoe polish to play this part. It's a travesty. Sikhs around the world should protest. Patricia Clarkson is whiny, pathetic and completely unlike-able. The movie meanders from comical to disjointed. As a viewer, I couldn't wait to get out of this claustrophobic, unbelievable car wreck of a movie.It's unbelievable that any reviewer would actually give this film any decent ink. I apologize to any living or dead driving instructors of Sikh or non-Sikh descent. I only hope that no animals were hurt in the making of this film.

This film tells the story of a woman whose husband just dumped her. She meets a taxi driver who also works as a driving instructor. She decides to take driving lessons, and in the meantime they learn to navigate their marital problems."Learning To Drive" tells very common life problems, and it provides a very realistic sense of how people deal with these problems. Despite the hardships, the characters cope and the film maintains a sense of optimism and lightheartedness. It is also very refreshing to see Indian actors and culture being prominently portrayed in a film, especially because there is a row over a lack of diversity in the Oscars. I hope more films like this will get made.

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.

"I never learned to cook because I thought my mother would always be there to cook for me. And then there was half the world between us. So I make my own food. Your point ? No point."Driving lessons as a metaphor for life. An original way to highlight this. But just like the lessons in everyday life, this film is a bit slow and repetitive. Granted, you can actually compare this with life. In the beginning a lot goes wrong and you don't really know how to start and comprehend it all. But with a lot of practice and experience, you can cope with it. And sometimes it can go terribly wrong with misery as a result. So with perseverance, following good advice given and not violating too many rules, you could succeed. And you can come up with more things connected to ordinary life. But as I said, it isn't really exciting. Besides that, I also asked myself where the romance was in this movie. The fact that Wendy (Patricia Clarkson) is going through a divorce and Darwan (Ben Kingsley) is forced into a marriage with someone he doesn't even know properly, is not exactly my idea of romance. And it wasn't a real comedy either despite a few funny moments. I'd rather call it a tragic affair. And yet it was a movie I could watch effortlessly till the end. And that because of the sublime acting. So in terms of content, it's not really special. More than once the subject of two strangers, with totally different characters, spontaneously meeting each other and supporting each other so they can handle a difficult period, has already been used before. So here we have Wendy, a book critic and Darwan, a driving instructor. Wendy is an emotionally hurt, dignified lady. Because of her profession she has demarcated a territory around herself where both her husband and daughter aren't allowed in. As a result Ted (Jake Webber) packs his bags and moves in with his mistress (a female writer whose books are also praised by Wendy). Darwan is a Sikh and next to being a driving instructor, he's also a taxi driver at night. A person of traditions who sees it as his life's work, to ensure that Wendy gets her license. Patiently and full of wise advices, he even gets her to drive over a bridge. He's more of a psychiatrist with an instruction car as a relaxant seat.Clarkson and Kingsley form a colorful duo. A mix of cultures. Clarkson, who also had the leading role in "October Gale", is a charming lady I'd love to see shining next to Helen Mirren in another movie. Her charisma is overwhelming and her emotions felt sincere. In contrast there's the calmness and patience of Kingsley. A distinguished and dignified character. The acting of the two main characters made sure this mainstream film was still enjoyable.Ultimately "Learning to drive" is a tender and touching film full of symbolism. However, it lacks a bit of energy and progresses with a calm pace. A bit like how Wendy navigates through traffic. But it shouldn't be always just about suspense and frenzy action scenes. Thanks to the brilliant performances of the two main actors, this movie was fun to watch. For me this movie passed the test.More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT