‘Driver’s Ed’ Review: Sam Nivola Stars in Bobby Farrelly’s Genial But Uninspired Road Trip Comedy

In introducking his new comedy just ahead of it tiff World Premiere, Director Bobby Farrelly Noted that Dumb and DumberThe 1994 Release that introduced him and Brother Peter to Jaded Audiens Hankering for Something Edgier or Grosser, OR, YES, DUMBER, WAS ALSO A ROAD MOVIE. But While 1994 Jim Carrey-Jeff Daniels Hit Firmly Establissed The Farrelly Brothers Brand, The Latest Solo Effort Is Pretty Benign Stuff by Comparison.

In Driver’s Edan Earnest but Naive High School Senior (Sam Nivola), Worred that His College Freshman GirlfRIEND MAY HAVE BROKEN UP WITH HIM, Commandeers His Driving Instructor ClassMates, Embarks on a Three-Hour Excursion to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to Ensure His Fears Are Are Unfounded. TOSE experting more of a farrelly-style-style joyride Will had a timettl’s cramps alonng pleasantly buteomaeradaTheast safeyefely-dholazhin-wilhin vithin vithin vithin wilhin vithin vithin vithin vithin vithin vithin vithin-wifeyerahi-but-bouse-but. Moffett’s Formulaic Script. Granited There’s Nothing inherently Wrong with that Approach and, Fueled by a Charismatic Young Cast, The VEHICLE RECHES ITS INTENDED DESTINATION WITH FEW FEW TURNS ON WE.

Handed It Gala Premiere at the Tail of End of Tiff, The Picture Has Yet to Secure A US DISTRIBUTOR. Prime Video has it for canada.

Nivola, Who Recently Made An Impression As Jason Issacs’ and Parker Posey’s Sensitive Youngst Kid in the Third Season of White Lotusis Well Cast As Lovelorn Jeremy, A Wes Anderson-Obsassed Budding Filmmaker Who Fails to See Will Him Knows All To Well-That His Girlfriend, Samantha (Lilah)

Still UnconvinCed, He Makes the Decision to Hear It From The Source While in the Middle of A Driving Lesson Being Given by Kumail Nanjiani’s Mr. Rivers, A Card-Carrying Goeofball of A Substitute Instructor with Both of His Arms in A Cast. OPTING TO ACCOMPANY JEREEMY ON HIS FINDING MISSION ARE CYNICAL EVIE (Sophie Telegadis), Overachiening Valedictorian Apurna (Mohana Krishnan) and, MOST NONBLIER Drug Dealer Yoshi (Aidan Laprete, Handily Stealing Every Scene With His Pitch-Pitch-Pitch Deadpan Line-Readings).

Meanwhile, Harried Principal Fisher (The Always Reliable Molly Shannon) is Doggedly Determined to Trache Down The Motley Crew, Snarling “I’m Not Going To Let The Ante Dipshitsitsitsitsits. tenure! ”

Aside from Encountering a FEW INEVITABLE BUMPS IN THE ROAD, INCLUDING AN EMPTY GAS GASA AND ALMOST RUNNING OVER A THREE-LEGGED CAT WHOM THEY NAME TRIPOD Self-Discovery. The Compact Kia Functions As A Rolling Confessional in WHICH The Young Passengers Share Their Deepest Fears, Darkest Secrets and The Realization that they’re all on the Same anxiety and depression. It All Culminates at A Prolonged Frat Party That Allows The Characters to Pair Off Predictable, Arriving at The Sort of Conclusion that Feels Like PEAK John Hughes.

Allowing everything to unfold at an unhurried pace, Underscored by a gentle Acoustic John Frizzell Score, Farrelly Hasn’t the Knack He Shared With His Brother For Mining. to shine. Following in the Career-Boosting Footteps of the Likes of Jim Carrey, Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz and Anthony anderson, Laprete Makes A Lasting, Tragicomic Impression Here, Wichh Coulst Television Future, Provides He’s Able to Sidestep Invitable TypeCasting.

Maybe It Was Too Much to Have Expectioned Something Fresher than the Totally 80s Feel-Good Vibe That Drivers’ ed Is Content to Deliver, But Considering The Source, The Comedy Can’s Help But Feel Unmotivated. It’s What The Kids Today would Call Mid.