LEARNING TO DRIVE

US, 2014, 91 minutes, Colour.
Patricia Clarkson, Ben Kingsley, Grace Gummer, Sarita Choudhury, Jake Weber, Matt Salinger.
Directed by Isabel Coixet.

Perhaps before we even go into see the film, but certainly after the initial sequences, we are in no doubt as to the meaning of the title and its metaphor and its meaning. While Wendy, Patricia Clarkson, does take driving lessons under the guidance of Darwan, Ben Kingsley, Wendy is not just trained how to manage a car, but is being guided as to how to reflect on her life and change its meaning. And the same is true of Darwan’s life, although he seems in command, but has to deal with personal relationships.

This is the kind of film that is popular with older audiences, who can identify with the characters and their situations, may share some of their experiences, and want to see how they deal with them – and with some hope.

It is at this point that it is probably best to introduce the word ‘raunchy’, because many audiences attracted by the film and the publicity may think that this will be an enjoyable PG portrait of adult characters. and, by and large it is. Just a warning for the unsuspecting that there is some raunchy verbal humour as well as a sex scene that might be more explicit than they are anticipating.

That said, there is much to commend the film to its target audience.

Patricia Clarkson, over the years, has given some very fine performances, able to bring to life on screen a middle-aged woman, life problems, emotional tensions. She appeared in a somewhat similar-themed film some years earlier, Cairo Time. This time she comes on screen full-blast, her husband of 21 years having just announced in public that he is leaving her. She is shocked, emotionally devastated, and going through a desperate tantrum in a cab on the way home, being driven by Darwan who has two jobs, one as a driving instructor during the day, the other as a New York cab driver at night.

Wendy has a daughter, played by Grace Gummer (one of Meryl Streep’s actress daughters) whom she is putting through college and who is working on the land in Vermont. Wendy goes into depression, wants her husband to return, finds that he has proceeded with separation papers, comes to collect his books and she finds that she is ousted from her own house and has to find somewhere else to live. She would like to go to visit her daughter but has never found the time or the will to learn to drive. She has, upset, left a manuscript (she is a writer and reviewer of books) in Darwan’s cab and he courteously returns it.

As expected, she contacts him to take driving lessons.

We would all we should all be so lucky to have such a competent, calm, focused driving instructor like Ddarwan. Ben Kingsley has gone back to his roots, his Indian roots. Darwan is a Sikh, our Prof, imprisoned in India, accepted as a refugee in the United States, a calm man, a man of principle, training Wendy to be calm, conscious of the rules of the road, focused and not committing to distractions. She is prone to distraction, and it is no surprise that she has a crash, fails her first test.

The film also shows a lot of Darwan’s background, his living in digs with quite a number of Indian workers, not always possessing papers as we see when they are rounded up. He cares for his nephew, while his nephew’s mother, Darwan’s sister, is busy trying to arrange a marriage. His prospective wife arrives in New York City, Jasleen (Sarita Choudhury), a middle-aged woman who cannot read, does not speak much English, is fearful of going out, and is not a good cook. There is a beautiful ceremony in the Sikh tradition but then comes the hardships of daily life.

So, Wendy has to learn how to cope with her new life, without her husband, taken unwillingly on a double date by her sister (and going home with the prospective husband), but learning a great deal from Darwan and quietly discussing the meaning of his marriage with him so that he might do something positive to encourage Jasleen.

Well, the metaphor is obvious – but, nonetheless, it is interesting and entertaining to see how it works out.

1. The title? The metaphor? The learning for Wendy? The learning for Darwan?

2. New York City, Wendy’s world? Darwan’s world? Intersecting? The detail, the time? The musical score?

3. Wendy as a character, age, experience, 21 years of marriage, her husband’s behaviour over the years, love her daughter, putting her through college? Her work as a book reviewer, love the words? Seen at her computer, her library, in the broadcast with reviewers? His a dog humour and comments? The shock of her husband’s leaving, and public? The cab, her tantrum? Her husband getting out, Darwan driving? Her love for her husband, pleading? The interactions with Tasha, Tasha working in the country, and to see her father?

4. Darwan, his character, age, background in India, in prison, asylum in the United States, his Seek identity, his jobs, the driving lessons, his words of wisdom to the youngster not to do any damage up to get his licence, driving the, his manner, courteous, car? His nephew, the discussions about his marriage, and he boarded with, their being rounded up? Finding the manuscript, returning it to Wendy?

5. Wendy’s husband, the 21 years, every seven years a crisis, trying adultery, humiliating his wife and public? And the cab? His girlfriend, as imagined by Wendy? Collecting his books, looking at the photos? The separation, the documents, the lawyer, the effect on Wendy, I am Tasha?

6. The driving lessons, Wendy not wanting them, deciding, wary, her motives, to drive to see her daughter? Darwan and his dignity, car, the cumulative effect of his training, meticulous detail, the safety, the rules, concentration Western Mark the effect of the crash, the police and the harassment? Wendy’s test, fatally? Her change of attitude, the house, renewed motivation, success?

7. Dublin, his home, the roundup of the men, his nephew announced, the interview by phone and photo? Just lean and his story, the death of her fiance, age? Arrival at the airport, Darwan late, her luggage, meeting Wendy, the drive home? Not having much English? Learning the Spanish word? Her poor cooking? Her being upset? Darwan and his treatment of her? The arranged marriage, the lavish ceremony? The seek customs, the Temple, the priest, prayer? Rituals? His being a good man and faithful? The discussions with Wendy? The platonic friendship with her and his reflection on his friendship? Urging Jasmine to go to shop, her wanting the tampons, meeting the woman in the supermarket, the gathering of women, the friends, who begins to study, to change? Darwan and his accommodation, 12 days and not nights?

8. Wendy sister, discussions, advice on the double date, talking with Peter, the sexual encounter, Tantric sex and the serious and comic?

9. Tasha, love her parents, in the country, her boyfriend, her mother’s advice, urging her to return to the country, promising to drive to see her?

10. Wendy, with Darwan, buying the bread car, the discussions?

11. The light touch with the serious touches on contemporary problems?