[yasr_overall_rating]
As her marriage dissolves, a Manhattan writer takes driving lessons from a Sikh instructor with marriage troubles of his own. In each other’s company they find the courage to get back on the road and the strength to take the wheel.
This is a wonderfully refreshing end-of-summer movie that celebrates our diversity. For me, this movie brought back the need to re-evaluate the circumstances of everyone’s presence here on American soil. They may be fleeing horrific circumstances. Take, for example, Darwan (Ben Kingsley), a political refugee from India, highly persecuted, thrown in jail and tortured only to escape to America. He has his masters but works two low paying jobs because he refuses to give up his turban and his beard. He is a hard-working man, an honest man, and a man of great integrity. He is stoic albeit a bit awkward when it comes to his love life.
Darwan meets the emotionally fragile Wendy (Patricia Clarkson), after picking her and her husband, Ted (Jake Weber), up from an outing. Wendy is distraught as Ted has just told her he is leaving her for another woman. Wendy returns home and later meets with her daughter, Tasha (Grace Gummer). Home from Vermont, she comforts her mom and encourages her to visit. One little problem…Wendy can’t drive. Through a series of events Darwan is brought to Wendy’s house to return a package and it just so happens he is not driving a taxi. He is driving a Student Driver car, as this is his second job.
This begins the heart and soul of this film and Wendy and Darwin and their beautiful, unlikely friendship that sees beyond cultural differences. In fact, these characters were so fully-developed that I felt like Wendy never noticed Darwan’s cultural dress nor did Darwan mind her vulgarity. They truly enjoyed each other’s company.
Wendy hires Darwan to teach her to drive, her goal being to drive to Vermont. She is scared, vulnerable, and unfocused. Darwan is calm, patient and persistent in his teaching. These driving lessons serve to remind us that they are both navigating through milestones of their lives; Darwan with an arranged marriage and Wendy with her upsetting divorce.
This could have ended with the stereotypical love story but it has a great message of faith and faithfulness. I won’t give away the ending but it is something to ponder and respect from both Wendy and Darwan and what they gave to each other and learned from each other.
This film is funny, thoughtful, and truly enjoyable. When all is said and done, this is the story of America, the melting pot of who she is. It shows the ugly, the racism that fuels some individuals based on stereotypes, and those that see beyond that.
Clarkson is delightful throughout the movie with her intellectual dialogue sprinkled with just the right amount of profanity. Her quick wit responses held many laugh out loud moments. Kingsley is such a believable character and outstanding actor in everything he does and this film is no exception. Weber and Gummer played their parts wonderfully, especially Gummer with her own challenge of navigating her way out of Vermont. Overall, I highly recommend “Learning to Drive.”
In select theaters including the Angelika Film Center in Dallas September 4th
