The TIFF Film Review: Bobby Farrelly’s “Driver’s Ed“

By Ross

Sometimes a movie doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel; it just needs to keep driving down the well-paved road with the passenger seats filled with good, compatible company. Bobby Farrelly’s “Driver’s Ed” is exactly that kind of film: funny, likable, and self-aware enough to know it’s not breaking new ground; that its final destination isn’t revelation but simple and clear enjoyment. Farrelly’s film is most assuredly a road-trip comedy that hits every familiar stop along the way and a few others that hilariously sneak up on us. It delivers young love, bad decisions, romantic ideals, and questionable chaperones, while still managing to feel somewhat car-fresh thanks to a committed cast and a genuine affection for its teenage travellers.

In the driver’s seat is the very engaging Jeremy, played lovingly by Sam Nivola (“Maestro“), a high-school senior nursing the kind of heartbreak that feels like the end of the world. When his college-bound girlfriend (Lilah Pate) calls him drunk from a frat party, Jeremy spirals into action. Before long, he’s stolen the school’s driver’s ed car and set off to reclaim his love, joined by an unlikely carpool of classmates: a stoner (Aidan Llaprete), a valedictorian (Mohana Krishnan), and a loner (Sophie Telgadis) with better instincts than he has. Their superb chemistry, chaos, surprising depth, and occasional wisdom give the film its high-octane fuel, and we happily strap in for the drive.

Farrelly (“Champions“), a seasoned craftsman of low-stakes chaos, along with writer Thomas Moffett (“Shrink“), brings an easy rhythm to the roadway madness. His comic timing remains sharp, and his eye for grounded absurdity keeps things warm and wild, rather than ridiculous. Kumail Nanjiani (“The Big Sick“) as the weary instructor and Molly Shannon (“Superstar“) as the overzealous principal both lean into their roles with gusto. Shannon sometimes overshoots the smallest moments, but the film never loses its emotional center, possibly thanks to Nanjiani’s connection with Shannon. The humour lands not because it’s outrageous but because it’s recognizably human, and it ultimately cares a great deal about all of these characters.

“Driver’s Ed” isn’t about teenage rebellion or adult redemption; it’s about the messy road to love and connection that lies somewhere in between. It’s a lighthearted ride through the hazards of growing up, charmingly performed by its cast and directed with confidence in its simplicity. It won’t change the genre, but it doesn’t attempt to, nor does it need to. Sometimes the best trips are the ones that just keep you smiling along the way.