Learning to Drive

Two nuanced and dynamic performances from two stellar actors. A great "thinker's" movie for anyone who appreciates real-life storytelling and maturity in a film for grown-ups. If you're a Patricia Clarkson fan, you will continue to scratch your head why nobody has given her an Oscar yet. She breathes life into a woman whose familiar world, however dysfunctional, is falling apart, and you want to scream and kick and retreat to safety with her at the same time you want her to do the hard thing in facing reality head-on and forging a new path. The driving lessons she takes are just a metaphor for finding her wings.As for Ben Kingsley, the only struggle I had in accepting his character was the hair dyed unnaturally dark to make him appear younger than he really is.(My guess? He's about 12- 15 years older than Clarkson.) That said, he does an excellent job conveying the sacrifice and commitment of a Sikh to age-old traditions as well as a personal commitment to generosity and kindness despite innumerable persecutions. (The racial profiling scene is one of the best descriptions of what I imagine reality to be in today's America for so many of the nation's naturalized citizens.)With the bar set so high by the primary actors, supporting roles are fleshed out with equal nuances. As Clarkson's husband, Jake Weber/Webber? doesn't deliver merely cheap shots as the philandering spouse who abandons his wife, but conveys an equally frustrated and flawed man who finally lost patience with status-quo long-suffering and forced his wife to see her blind spots. The awkward, humor-laden agony of conversation when he returns home to pack some of his remaining books is brilliantly conceived by the director and carried out by both Clarkson and Weber. And the beautiful and graceful actress playing Kingsley's new wife in a traditional, arranged (unknown) Sikh marriage is also layered with loneliness and fear of the unknown.This film is untraditional to the core, and well-worth the watch.

I've gotten to the age that I prefer movie like this one. A slice of life where ones goes through some sort of life changing experience - no matter how mundane or traumatic. This movie isn't just about a woman's shock about finding out her husband is leaving her or even about learning to drive - something she's never had to do. It's about finding her inner strength to deal with the change. The denial, the hurt, all the emotions such a change evokes in the person being abandoned by their spouse. It about the coming to terms with life, those who encourage us to forge ahead, to learn things we never thought we'd ever need to learn. It's about a sheltered academic who learns about ethnic prejudice, cultural differences, making adjustments & much more - all shown in the span of less than 2 hours. Nicely done. I'm beginning to "fall in love" with small independent films because they have heart.

This is a lovely film about serendipity! The right people appearing in your life at exactly the right moment. Wonderful performances by Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley. I loved that it wasn't a movie about "woman meets man and they go through trials and then live together happily ever after." The connection here is on a much deeper level. Bravo!

Learning How to Drive is a startling, hidden gem of a movie, with glittering performances of love lost by Wendy, portrayed by Patricia Clarkson, with her husband, Jake Weber.The cab driver, Darwan, portrayed by Ben Kingsley, drives her home after a row with her husband.A New Yorker, Wendy doesn’t know how to drive and says what a lot of city dwellers say. “Why should I drive? I live in the city and there is transportation to take me wherever I want to go.” With the sudden breakup of her twenty-one year marriage, Wendy is unsure where she wants to go, not to mention to learn how to drive. Her daughter, Tasha, represented by Grace Gummer suggests she learn how to drive and visit her in Vermont. When Wendy decides to learn, her apt tutor is Darwan, the cab driver. He is encouraging and precise in her learning the rules of the road.In the meantime, bachelor, Darwan, a Sikh, marries, Jasleen, an Indian bride, represented by Sarita Choudhury, who is chosen by Darwan’s sister in India. The new marriage has its own ups and downs with the proud, steady Darwan feeling uncertain about his new bride’s behavior. But it’s understandable. Darwan works night and day, and has little time for his new bride. Jasleen’s in a large city, and is afraid to leave the home. She speaks little English. When Jasleen ventures out, she meets a young woman from their temple at a nearby market, who takes her under her wing, and introduces her to the female congregants at their temple. Darwan decides to end his night schedule and spend more time with his new wife, which is a breakthrough for Darwan and Jasleen.This is a movie of those in mid-life crises, or those at the base of the summit of their golden years. It’s starting over for Wendy and new, unchartered, territory for Darwan.This is a terrific movie with superb acting.

This is my first time viewing a film with Patricia Clarkson, however I am more familiar with Sir Ben Kingsley's work. This was a very real and smart story about two people learning to adjust to the sometimes unexpected circumstances that happen in life. I was so happy that "Wendy" was ready to do the "hard" stuff of moving on with her life after her marriage ended. The kindness and supportive relationship that she developed with her driving instructor was not only beneficial to her, but also taught him how to relate to his new bride. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie!👍☺

I loved this film. It was very well acted and portrayed the gradual understanding of emotions between two very different cultures. It showed the stark contrast between a relationship brought about by passion and an arranged marriage on the other hand. Both actors came to appreciate the other's lives and cultures.

Nice blend of two cultures in harmony until the car accident!

This DVD was very good value for money and it arrived in the specified time period. The movie was very enjoyable, with excellent acting by both leading actors. It was funny and had a very good moral message.

Great film - Down in price to just £.99 on Amazon Marketplace. A Bargain.

I love feel good movies and this is one of those, a very good film.