Author: Rosalynn Try-Hane

Isabel Coixet bring us an insightful, refreshing and mercifully cliché-free look at a woman in her early 60s learning to start over through learning to drive.

Wendy, a New York book critic (played by the marvelous Patricia Clarkson) whose husband, Ted (Jake Weber) leaves her after 21 years of marriage decides she must channel her rage at her husband into learning to drive not just to visit her daughter but also to regain her identity as an I rather than We. Enter part time driving instructor and taxi driver, Darwan, (played with gusto by Ben Kingsley) who is also going through his own self discovery from singleton to one of husband. Even though Darwan and Wendy live two very different experiences of New York life, it is their friendship that bridges the cultural divide and how they deal with loneliness, triumph and love are all ones that we can identify with in Learning To Drive.

This is a hidden gem of a movie that is multi-layered. The main narrative is that of how does a 60 year old woman start over after being left by her husband for another woman. How do you rebuild a world and in the end what constitutes a home: bricks and mortar or the people within in. Patricia Clarkson’s nuanced and measured performance makes every scene she appears in sparkle. As for Ben Kingsley, he too converys through gestures and a simple regard the angst that Darwan goes through adapting to his life in Amercia: the constant battles he faces as an immigrant especially post 9/11 and then as a husband adapting to that life.

The entire 90 mins of the movie was engaging and the dialogue natural, refreshing and genuinely funny. One of my favourite scenes is the discussion of why men leave women and it’s suggested the lack of blow jobs may have something to do with it to which the retort is: “This mouth is retired with a full pension”. Classic. Therein lies the beauty of this film, it is not clichéd or melodramatic about women in their 60s starting over. It’s a delight to seeing older actresses playing roles that are interesting, multi-layered and challenging.

Learning To Drive was shown as part of the Directors’ Showcase at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2015.

Sleeping With Other People is from the writer and director of The Bachelorette and tries to be adventurous but in the end leaves you thinking sleeping with other people gets tiresome quickly.

Lainey (Alison Brie) loses her virginity to Jake (Jason Sudeikis) at college and then for the intervening years they sleep with other people only to realise that maybe the only person they want to sleep with is each other, or do they?

Writer and director Leslye Headland tries a fresh take on Nora Ephron’s iconic When Met Sally to make it current for 2015. There are lots of funny jokes and then some just downright lewd and crude jokes in order to keep the audience interested although, admittedly, the dirty dj scene is funny. However, rather than being bold and deciding to take a different stance on the age old question: can men and women ever just be friends? She plays it safe and had the film ended 20 minutes earlier it might have been interesting. Instead it just leaves you thinking this is a bunch of clichés and sterotypes done better in Headland’s previous film the Batchelorette and Sleeping With Other People doesn’t come close to stealing even a rumble let alone thunder of When Harry Met Sally.

Currently being shown at The Edinburgh Film Festival 2015. Running Time 95 mins.

Everyone’s Going To Die taken in its purest form is correct. We are all going to die. From the opening sequence, I had this sense of dread that this was going to another gangster style shoot them-up, but this film is witty, raw and unexpectedly charming. Everyone’s Going To Die is one of the reasons why British independent
cinema is hot right now.

The film centres around two protagonists: Ray (played by Rob Knighton) returning home to Folkestone for his brother’s funeral and Melanie (played by Nora Tschirner) a long way from her native home, Germany, trying to figure out if this new place can ever truly be her home.

Everyone’s Going To Die is an imaginative and impressive debut from Jones. The film is supported by a thumping soundtrack, nuanced performances and self-deprecating script. There are echoes of Lost in Translation; two souls who are in transition but not sure where they are going. Melanie who is questioning everything and struggling not to fulfil her family’s image of her as a failure. Ray dressed like an extra out of Reservoir Dogs but scratch the surface and he is haunted a soul trying to atone for his past and create a future worth living rather than exisiting for.

The script is witty and absurd in equal measure. One of my favourite scenes is of Ray, having looked up wiccan practices, talking to a cat as if it’s the reincarnet soul of his dead brother is comedy gold. The script allows the viewer time to make up their own mind and just observe and relate to their struggles including; loneliness and feeling lost in a crowd. This is real life – abundant coincidences, chance encounters and opportunities for change if you just seize them.

However, the film isn’t perfect and the perephial characters don’t really add anything to the action or bring about any change in the central characters. That to me felt like a lost opportunity.
Why this film works is purely down to the two actors who play Melanie and Ray. Especially, Rob Knighton who bring that sense of world weariness that can only be gained after a life of real work, he used to be a carper fitter. If Before Sunrise married Lost in Translation they’d name their baby: Everyone’s Going To Die. The chatacters of Melanie and Ray linger long after the final credits and could only have been played by these two actors. The chemistry between them is palpable and they really do spark off each other on screen.

For all those who enjoy character driven scripts then go and see this. You will not be disappointed. The film would work well for a date night movie, as well as, a night out with a group of friends.
It is quirky, funny with just a hint, and I do mean hint, of romance thrown in.

Released in cinemas in the UK from 26 June.

Man Up is supposedly a rom-com but, it’s so formulaic and full of cliches, by the end of the 88 mins you’re left thinking Man Down, Man Down!

Man Up starts with Nancy (played by Lake Bell), thirty-something, hung over and jaded sitting opposite Jessica (played by Ophelia Lovibon). Nancy is heading home to celebrate her parents’ 40th wedding anniversary but, as you may have guessed, is single with no suitable prospect on the horizons. Jessica, however, is full of life and joie de vivre reading a self help book which she says has brought so many good things into her life including the blind date she is on her way to meet. She shows Nancy the book who skims through it and then the inevitable happens, Jessica forgets the book on the train and Nancy runs after her. Then, the first happy accident happens when she is mistaken by Jack (played by Simon Pegg) who thinks she is his blind date as she is holding the book. In short, the premise of the film is right time, right place but the wrong date. The rest of the film is given over to Nancy trying to find the right time to tell Jack that she is not “the right date”. However, the only problem is that she actually starts to enjoy his company so even though she is the wrong date, will she turn out to be the right woman for him.

This film is directed by Ben Palmer and written by Tess Morris. The premise of the film is interesting and different and would have been enjoyable had the script not been riddled by so many clichés. It just tried too hard. The character of Sean (played by Rory Kinnear) would have been better suited to The Inbetweeners, also directed by Ben Palmer, but felt out of place here.

Whilst Lake Bell and Simon Pegg acted well, the script was formulaic and superficial. It felt as it was trying to be a little like Bridesmaids but it lacked the depth of that film. Lake Bell does an incredible English accent and she showed her propensity for accents in the film she wrote and directed: In a World. Simon Pegg showed that he is leading man material but they were wasted in this film. The supporting cast of leading British talent including: Olivia Williams and Ken Stott were also wasted, and left me asking: Richard Curtis where are you when we need you. I miss the romantic comedies of the 1990s and this was neither romantic nor particularly funny.

Save your popcorn money and rent it when it comes on DVD if you are a die hard Simon Pegg fan.

Man Up opened in cinemas nationwide on 29 May.