Oh my goodness - did anyone else see this on ITV last night? If not, you've missed a real treat

I'm not exactly what you'd call Rupert's biggest fan; I'm not even a big Ron fan, but I wanted to see this because I absolutely love Julie Walters and I thought it would be fun to see Rupert doing something different. I'm so glad that I did! What an absolutely amazing film!

What surprised me more than anything was how un-Ron-like Rupert was. He can portray such emotion merely from expression and body-language, and that's not an easy thing for an actor to do sometimes. He didn't have a great deal of dialogue really, but the lines he did have were delivered perfectly. It was a definite coming-of-age thing for his character, hence the title, and there was a part in there that some of Rupert's younger fans, I'm sure, will be absolutely screaming to see

And Julie Walters, as you would expect, was nothing short of brilliant. The relationship between the two characters was so well done, so moving - comedic, yet deeply affecting, but without being overly drippy or sentimentalistic. They both really needed each other to break them both out of the lethargy they'd lost themselves in, for different reasons though, of course. It was just a real pleasure to watch

Overall I thought it was perfectly balanced - well written drama, with a few touches of comedy to lighten it. I couldn't have been more impressed And the performances were absolutely spot-on.

There might just be a career out there beyond HP for Rupert after all...just goes to show that even the most grizzled, cynical HP fan there is can be wrong in their preconceived ideas about the actors sometimes....

Thank goodness for ITV...I've been waiting for someone besides Elaine to have seen this. Yay!

I am a Rupert fan, and I thought he was great, as if I would think otherwise. But I find that I was much more impressed by Julie Walters. I aboslutely adored her character in this movie and I thought she did a wonderful job at portraying her. The character in general was just so brilliant and animated. I love how she sort of just took over Ben like her own and really made him think. She's the best.

Rupert actually surprised me. I had read a review where he was said to be quite emotionless and bland, but after seeing the movie I thought that that was what it was supposed to be. His life was rather bland I think...his emotions definitely came out after he met Evie, (Julie, Rupert, Evie, Ben, you know...) and I thought he did really well.

I do think Rupert has a future in film, and it does make me curious to see if the other young kids can pull a good film out like he has. December Boys is around the corner...but I don't know if it will be able to match Driving Lessons. Perhaps because it doesn't have Julie Walters in it?

Sorry, Aubrey, I've been meaning to reply here for a few days and it just keeps slipping my mind and it always occurs to me just after I've logged off

But yes, Julie Walters definitely was the best there, I think, but then she always is in everything she does. She even made "Ruby in the Smoke" that was on over Christmas watchable (it was otherwise a really hard one to follow and I would have given up after a few minutes if it hadn't been for her) She's an outstanding actress and I'm surprised they didn't make more of her in GoF. I hope they use her to her full potential in OotP.

Rupert surprised me too. I guess he was a little emotionless, but then he was supposed to be because of the upbringing Ben had - poor kid. I'm glad he told that "girlfriend" of his where to go eventually though - I was just willing him to tell her to...erm..."get lost" () in that corridor scene!! It was just really nice to see him doing something different, and he must have been good, because I forgot that I was watching "Ron", if you know what I mean. That's pretty hard sometimes, when an actor has played a part for so long and it's almost all he knows, it's easy to fall back into that character even when they're trying to portray something else. Matthew Perry is Chandler in everything he does, for example

I'd like to see December Boys though - I saw Daniel Radcliffe in Ricky Gervais' "Extras" a few months ago, and he truly was outstanding. Funniest thing I've seen in a long time! You know, he was so seedy in that, I think Dan's got real potential for playing rough characters, serial killers, nasty pieces of work...he definitely has that air about him - very un-Harry-ish. Very under-rated actors, both Rupert and Dan.

Did anyone ever see that "Extras" episode, BTW? Warwick Davies was in it too...*so* funny....

Geex Louise! I didn't know you'd opened up this topic!

I honestly thought that it was only Aubrey and me that had watched this film. I'm glad another Brit has though because, and no offence meant here Aubrey, but there were some things about Julie Walters performance that reminded me of other roles she's played on UK TV that you might not have seen.

I thought she was a deffinate mix of Mrs Overall in Acorn Antiques (I'd have loved to have seen the musical) and Victoria Woods mum in dinner ladies...she was such a lush!

My favourite part was when Ben found her passed out and helped her to the kitchen sink to throw up and she said something about having vomit in her hair, I cracked up!

Rupert was very emotionless and like you said, that's because of his upbringing. The actress who played his mum (can't for the life of me think of her name just yet) was great too. I did wonder where the relationship between the two of them was going, and thought it was a little like the one between Ronnie Corbett and his mum in the sit com Sorry! from the early 80's, except without the humour.

I loved this film and have Sky +ed it for a rainy day! I might even buy it on DVD.

I saw Dan in Extras, omigod what a little so and so he was. He was hilarious. I loved it when he pinged his rubber friend acroos the room! I can see him moving away from the HP role very easily when the time comes.

Oh heck, no! I never miss anything that Julie's in, if I can help it. And I know exactly what you mean about Mrs Overall and Petula (I absolutely love Victoria Wood, always have, and the sketches she used to do with Julie are just priceless...got them all on DVD! )

I can't say I cracked up though in that vomiting scene - I actually found it really touching, and it was the first moment that you really began to get a sense of Rupert's character, and how deep those still waters of his ran. How he sat with her, helped her...the fervour of his apology for touching her things - he was just perfect.

Wasn't the title so very appropriate though? Wonderful choice. Very clever.

But yes, it was definitely his upbringing that made him the way he was. His mum (I think her name is Laura Linney - an American, but she can't half do a decent accent, in fairness to her) just made me laugh so much, but probably not for totally appropriate reasons It was all the Bible-bashing she was doing that got me...and all the time there she was, banging that other guy As though we never saw that one coming!

I loved it too though - I've got it stored on my HDD (still considering Sky+), along with that Extras episode. Ricky Gervais is amazing.



OMG, yes! And landing on Diana Rigg's head?! The way she just sat there and made him ask for it back...I was nearly wetting myself, honestly

No, I don't think Dan or Rupert is ever going to have trouble finding work after HP. And good for them.

It's so nice to find other people who've seen it! I was beginning to think I was the only one!

That's why I found it funny...I'm a bit twisted like that! There's poor old Ben doing the right and noble thing, there's this touching scene and she says I've got vomit in my hair!

The title was perfectly apt. The double meaning.

Laura Linney, ofcourse it was, she was the one who played the girl in Love Actually who worked in Alan Rickmans office who fancied the hunk and at every oppotune moment her brother would call her mobile. Pretty good accent, yes!Her character was so up herself, does anyone else think she was transferring her guilt about her relationship onto Ben?

I am going to watch Extras again before the boss deletes it, he deleted Ruby in the Smoke last night before I'd had a chance to watch it grrr!

Sounds like a great film I've been looking everywhere for this movie but I seem to find it or someone already gotten it!
Anyone know where I can watch it online?I really dieing to see that film

Wow! What a movie, I enjoyed it actually thought it was quite entertaining. I rented it from netflix and watched it.. Mostly just to see Rupert in a different role. And Move was good. Great coming of age story.

Nice to see that he does have a future outside of Harry Potter. Took me awhle to get used to the fact that he wasn't wearing robes and swinging around a wand. But after that.. I can honestly say I liked it.

well, i have the movie on DVD, and frankly, I didn't exactly like it. the most interesring part was the kiss, although it was kind of a letdown. i hoped his first on-screen snog would be with Emma w. but ok, julie was great and i loved her swallowing the key and getting him drunk and the line after he swears? "it's getting better and better". she's such a piece of work and i luuuuv her.
ruoert was kind of like an anvil in the movie, his acting wasn't too good.

I wanted to see the movie, but it hasn't been released in theaters in my country. So I hope a tv-channel will show it sometime. I really like Rupert, so I HAVE to see it!

Firstly, it wasn't released in American thearters although, it was supposed to be, and if it did, it wasn't released around here. But I did end up renting it, and I loved it.
It was a really great film, I loved the part when they were acting out Shakespeare, "Proud Titania"....so on. I also liked when he was calling his mom because they were in the woods stranded, that was good. His mom was sooo overprotective, it was crazy. And when he is reading the poem to the girl at the beginning I was laughing so hard..

Driving Lessons was released in American theatres because I saw it in one, but it was only released in a few theatres rather than at the big ones like regular movies would be released. For example, our town has a theatre called the Art House, and it's run by a big franchise theatre, but it plays a lot of indie flicks and little movies that don't really get big billing. So, yeah, it was released in theatres, just not really widespread.

I still think it's a fantastic film, whether Rupert was an anvil or not, because it's a graet story. His mom is evil and Julie Walters did such a fantastic job. I love that woman. I don't think Rupert did that bad. His moping kind of fit his character. You'd be moping too if you had to live with Laura Linney's character.

Rupert Is A Hottie.

Luv Him
xx

I haven't watch the film yet, but from the pictures I can tell that Rupert could be a different person than Ron, and that's awesome! Particulary because he looks very handsome in suits, he looks ... like a different person! I hope I could watch it soon, I'd love seeing Rupert and Julie on another film, it's strange.
I really think he have a great future like an actor!

I was in some video store this summer and I saw a preview for it on a tv they had on in there and I was like "omg its' Rupert!!!" I am soo glad that he was in this movie because it provies that he can do more than Harry Potter: deeper more emoutional rolls as a troubled teen (not to dis ron or anything, but Ben is just more complicated). I thought the kiss was brilliant! My favorite parts (besides the whole movie) were when he yells at her for swallowing the car key and she's like-"What a relief: he swares." Also when he yelles at his mother at the end cause she was cheeting on his father. I know it may sound a little creepy but my favorite shot was when he was sitting in the tub listening to his parents fight and he just sinks beneth the water. he looked soooo sad ! Oh, yeah- I almost died laughing at the part where they are on the bus and he's like "I'M NOT GAY!"
Not that we could expect anything less but the acting from the entire cast was amazing. I thout it was a very, very good movie witch I loved from the begining (when Ben is riding the bike and that catchy music is playin'!!! )!

omg. i LOVED this movie.
i watched it on youtube. lol.

there were so many funny parts in it, but i think my most favourite was when rupert was all like: "you ate the key...you ate the [EDITED] key!!" omg, that had me laughing for hours!

anyone who hasnt watched it should definately watch it. its soooo good.




[MOD EDIT]: This is a family-friendly website; swearing/cursing is NOT allowed. Please check your inbox soon...a Head Auror will be contacting you.

by any chance since i live in the US do you think that it might be out to rent? anyone that lives in the US & has seen it .... how did you watch it? becuase i know that there is no movie theatre that played that here in Florida & i dont think they have showned it on TV. so is it possible to rent?

[EDIT: never mind i just read browneyegirl what she wrote & i found it thanks im watching it now. when i finish i'll come back & write my review ]

i just finished watching the movie (: & omggg did i LOVE it this is surely a different side of rupert that i will never forget .. who knew that he could curse that much let alone even say it. lol now when i see him on harry potter i'll probably be looking at him & hearing every curse word he said in my head too funny . loved the movie

I had heard of it and I had always wanted to see it. One day, we were in the video shop and we found the DVD so we bought it. I watched it when I was home sick from school and I really enjoyed it. I loved the enitre film. It was good to see Rupert in something other than Harry Potter. And Julie Walters was wonderful. I loved her. My favourite part was probably how Maggie swallowed the keys.