Shadows on the Wall | Driver's Ed

Driver’s Ed

dir Bobby Farrelly
scr Thomas Moffett
prd Jonas Pate, Jennifer Pate, David Stone
with Sam Nivola, Sophie Telegadis, Mohana Krishnan, Aidan Laprete, Molly Shannon, Kumail Nanjiani, Lilah Pate, Alyssa Milano, Tim Baltz, Bri Giger, Marley Aliah, Ella Stiller
release US 15.May.26
25/US MGM 1h43

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A smart, witty script elevates this goofy teen-awakening comedy. Director Bobby Farrelly and writer Thomas Moffett cleverly play with real-life issues, adding nutty edges to the more observant serious moments. The ricochet between sweet and silly is a little uneven, but the deeper ideas make the characters unexpectedly engaging. So with its Breakfast Club cast of specific types, the movie finds a hint of meaning beneath the mayhem.

Bright North Carolina high school senior Jeremy (Nivola) hates that his girlfriend Samantha (Pate) has moved away for college, and now she wants to break up. With his emotions spiralling, Jeremy impulsively steals the school's driver education car to go visit her, taking sad-girl classmate Evie (Telegadis), valedictorian Aparna (Krishnan) and stoner Yoshi (Laprete) along for the ride. Of course, the journey doesn't go remotely smoothly. They're also are being tracked by their principal (Shannon), driver's ed substitute (Nanjiani) and school security guard (Baltz). Then when they arrive, they have to crash a frat party.

Corny adventures add laughs and a spark of romance, but the character detail is more involving. Jeremy is an aspiring filmmaker whose crime-based short caused a commotion at last year's talent show. He believes Samatha is his muse, and he's nothing without her. And there are amusing generational gags, such as when these fugitives ditch their phones to avoid being tracked. But this is their first time without a mobile phone, and it's a real challenge to read a map that's not on a screen.

Nivola is charming as an optimistic dreamer who can't see that his own insecurities are a problem. He develops terrific chemistry with these fellow oddballs as they become friends against their own expectations. Telegadis, Krisnan and Laprete each find nice textures in their stereotypes. And veterans add spark in enjoyable side roles, including Shannon's hilariously aggressive principal, Nanjiani's cartoonish teacher and Milano as Jeremy's sensible mother.

While the reckless driving is definitely not something a teen audience should be cheering, and a flourish of gunplay feels very flippant, it's impossible not to root for these kids as they break every rule they encounter while discovering new truths about themselves. "Try to live in the moment for once," Yoshi says to Apurna. "What's the point of making the world a better place if you're not going to have fun in it?" It's easy to see ourselves in a story about kids (and adults) who are holding themselves back from what they really want.

themes, language, violence 4.May.26

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