Raglan Film Festival: LEARNING TO DRIVE

When her marriage goes down the tubes, a Manhattan writer (Patricia Clarkson, Shutter Island) finds solace in driving lessons with a Sikh instructor (Ben Kingsley). An adaptation of an essay published in The New Yorker by Katha Pollitt. From filmmaker Isabel Coixet (The Secret Life of Words).

Stuff - 4 Stars "Smart and sassy little film is a terrific showcase for a pair of great actors. "

TV3 - 3.5 Stars "Kingsley's performance is a masterclass of restraint, offsetting Clarkson's more volatile feistiness deliciously.

"Wendy (Clarkson), a successful and self-obsessed book editor, comes home to her New York City brownstone one day to find her husband Ted (Jake Weber) leaving her — again. But this time it's for good, and Wendy's initial denial turns into grief, anger, and a hard determination to become self-sufficient. That means learning to drive so she can visit her daughter Tasha (Grace Gummer) at college in Vermont. Wendy's determination wavers when she's faced with the confusing reality of an automobile dashboard, but fortunately she has Darwan (Kingsley), the world's most conscientious driving instructor. As Darwan guides Wendy through her automotive education, his patience invites her to open up about her problems. In turn, Wendy's volatile feelings about her changing marital status serve to highlight Darwan's deeply private concerns about his own impending marriage, and their relationship evolves in unexpected and touching ways." (Toronto International Film Festival)