Who's Driving Doug (2016)

This is the stuff Hollywood was "made for" and is loved for. Even if this is rather an independent film, it has everything a big movie should have: truth, warmth/heart, a somewhat uplifting message, great characters. Yes, there are a lot of cliches (spoiler alert: the road trip, the scene with the prostitute - I know why it is there, but I could have done without it), but it is so wonderfully done and acted and it is courageous and on point in adressing and portraying how easy/common it is to take on prejudices/discriminations against one's own features and even use them in one's favor (kind of like a secondary gain). The important thing is to realize that you do that and address it. I thought all actors where great and I especially loved seeing Daphne Zuniga again, but I must admit I wouldn't have taken notice of the movie if it wasn't for the amazing, talented, cute RJ Mitte - he is a real gem and I would love to see more of him - shining a light on his talent and charisma is one of the many great things that Breaking Bad brought forth, thanks for that! I am not too happy about the ending (spoiler alert) - well, the conclusion is positive, but the sad thing before the conclusion feels too negative for the otherwise not too heavy-toned movie, and it calls forth once again the critics who emphasize the abundance of clichés - I am not a fan of clichés myself, but again: very rarely a movie nowadays can really provide 100 percent originality and as long as the clichés are presented in such a likeable, smart, brave way, I am fine with it (often they are hateful, and that's where I draw the line, no one needs negative, political clichés). Not every movie does have to reinvent the wheel, a well-done, working wheel after a well-known blueprint, not harming anybody but enjoying and enlighting the viewers, is a great thing. Thumbs up!

Who's Driving Doug is directed by David Michael Conley and stars RJ Mitte with Paloma Kwiatkowski and Ray William Johnson. Doug is a sheltered, intelligent college student who changes his life forever when he hires an underachieving driver, Scott, and heads out on a spontaneous road trip with him to Las Vegas. The drama genre as of late has become very predictable and at times sloppy and weak, with the exceptions of this year's Spotlight and The Big Short. Who's Driving Doug feels very intimate and low budget, with newcomer Ray William Johnson making a wonderful debut into the acting world, sharing some lovely moments of chemistry with Doug, who is perfectly portrayed by RJ Mitte.Shooting on location in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, with the amazing performances by all the cast and having a beautifully written screenplay really helps pull the entire concept together. It's very much a buddy comedy with some serious topics and great music throughout. I have one slight issue; in the final act, there's a somewhat predictable twist that I absolutely wish was handled with a lot more care. It just felt jarring when they cut straight from this moment into a shot that doesn't quite correlate with the previous scene. If this was lingered on a little more, I feel it would have been amazing. That said, it's a feel-good comedy/drama that turns in many directions with some really great scenes of dialogue and morals. Music by Chad Rehmann is an acoustic tour de force with a simplistic approach that ties the whole picture together fluently. It's very guitar and piano based, with melodies that weave in and out of scenes with a subtle drone to tie up the ends of each piece. Alongside the score by Rehmann is the soundtrack by Death Cab for Cutie who have gracefully allowed their music to be featured throughout the running length of the movie, fitting perfectly with the forever changing mood of the story. My verdict; Who's Driving Doug is a wonderful take on the drama genre and succeeds in everything it sets out to achieve. (Now available to stream on Netflix)Who's Driving Doug, 7/10.

I wish the character traits as well as most of the plot wasn't so predictable, but even that didn't stop me from appreciating this drama. I don't think it should have ended like that, it seems they were trying to make it as sad as possible when it could have made it's point and end positively.Some of the acting and scenes were way out of place and odd, but most of it was great. Ray and RJ were really good, as well as the mother character, though the slow pace, too many driving street shots and shallow storyline were dragging the overall experience a bit down.However I think it's great for what it is. I don't like dramas, but I gave it a shot because I respect RWJ, and for a budget indie film - this is probably the best you can get. The overall editing and sound were top notch, beating many big-budget road trip movies by a long shot.Dive in with expectations of some cliché elements, but if you're into dramatic movies, you should be able to enjoy this one.I'm hoping Ray would go with a comedy or something more refreshing next time. I'm sure he wanted to try something new, after years of being a comedian and launching people who used him to gain their own audiences, which is why I want him to succeed - he deserves it for creating something from nothing and even launching other people (girlfriends) who didn't deserve it, but he'll be best in a comedy. However, again, if you enjoy simple dramas and won't be too nit-picky about it, this is a great film for you.

I was not expecting to like this film. The summary sounded like any other coming of age story, only a low-budget indie one. Wow, was I surprised. This one was really outside the box, emotionally connected, quite funny, very entertaining and not necessarily all about the coming of age thing (sorry for being vague, don't want to spoil it).The story was probably the best part as stories based in the real life of the writer often are.The acting was quite strong. RJ Mitte nailed the lead role, Paloma Kwiatkowski was mesmerizing to watch, and Ray William Johnson turned in a powerful and emotional performance to round out this thoroughly tasty trio of performances.And, the budget wasn't quite as small as I'd expected. This film looks good, sounds good, and is good. If you're looking for something compelling, heartwarming, and different, this is it.Hello Netflix people: you should pick this one up. It's something special. (And, I say that as someone who does not know anyone affiliated with the making of this film. Your subscribers need more fresh, unique, new content and it would be hard to imagine them not liking this one).