Driving Lessons

Driving Lessons
September 4, 2006
UK Film Council etc.
Comedy, Drama
DVD
C

While this has some good performances and lovely scenery (particularly in Scotland), it's hampered by Jeremy Brock's writing and direction, which manage to be both cliched and nonsensical.  The film still has some curiosity value as the movie that Rupert Grint and Julie Walters made where they weren't playing Ron Weasley and his mum.  American Laura Linney does a fine job as the mother here, although it's hard to know how to take her or most of the other characters.  And I wish Grint, as Ben, wasn't so passive through most of the movie.  For what it's worth, more enjoyable than Grint's Wild Target (2010).

There are some other, more minor, Harry Potter connections.  Jim Norton, who plays Mr. Fincham, was Mr. Mason in Chamber of Secrets.  Samuel Gaukroger, who's a Child at Church, would be in Order of the Phoenix as a Hogwarts Student, while Rose Keegan, who's Emma Pagent here, would be Red Haired Witch in Deathly Hallows, Part I.