This is a charming, unpretentious little movie - made for French TV - that is helped enormously by the leading actress, Miou-Miou, one of the finest, if unsung, actresses of her generation (she was born in 1950) in French cinema. The tone is set from the opening credits which finds Miou-Miou preparing a meal for her husband and three grown songs. As she works she dances irresistibly to the portable radio on the table. When she reveals that she has signed up for driving lessons her husband is disgruntled. He feels that 1) he could have taught her to drive himself and 2) why does she need to drive anyway. This tells us immediately that he is an old-fashioned 'woman's place is in the home' type of husband. Miou-Miou's only friend appears to be Daniel, the young son of a neighbouring couple, who is autistic, and once she has passed her test - not without some mildly humorous mishaps - Daniel accompanies her on a journey to Belgium, where she meets an old flame albeit innocuously. That's about it but as someone once said, it's not the arrival it's the journey and this is a lovely ride.
2 Reviews
Beep -beep beep -beep yeah !
ulicknormanowen3 April 2024
Some kind of update of René Allio 's "la vieille dame indigne" ,though Miou- Miou , only nearing sixty at the time, and who ages gracefully , does not look like an old woman at all .
Micheline has been living in her house (kitchen more like) for all her life;the perfect housewife , she gave birth to three children,now grown-ups ,and she has made an important decision :to take her driving test ; for the macho husband (Jean -Luc Bidault) ,it's a waste of money because a woman's place is her home .She will have to pay her lessons with her savings.
The first part is primarily funny:the new student almost drove her driving instructor to distraction :she does not even know that the first thing you must do before starting is to fasten your security belt; going into first or reverse is not evident. Miou-Miou's stupefied looks are riotously comic .
The second part ,is more nostalgic , and sometimes leaves a bitter taste in the mouth ; the driving license is her liberation, the opportunity to go where she wants ,without her hubby's burdensome presence ; for her trip to Knokke-Le -Zout ,Belgium ,she takes with her the neighbours' teenager , an autistic : for him,too ,it's his first real travel ; this odd couple is really endearing ; all in all,in spite of some filler , a nice little film.
Micheline has been living in her house (kitchen more like) for all her life;the perfect housewife , she gave birth to three children,now grown-ups ,and she has made an important decision :to take her driving test ; for the macho husband (Jean -Luc Bidault) ,it's a waste of money because a woman's place is her home .She will have to pay her lessons with her savings.
The first part is primarily funny:the new student almost drove her driving instructor to distraction :she does not even know that the first thing you must do before starting is to fasten your security belt; going into first or reverse is not evident. Miou-Miou's stupefied looks are riotously comic .
The second part ,is more nostalgic , and sometimes leaves a bitter taste in the mouth ; the driving license is her liberation, the opportunity to go where she wants ,without her hubby's burdensome presence ; for her trip to Knokke-Le -Zout ,Belgium ,she takes with her the neighbours' teenager , an autistic : for him,too ,it's his first real travel ; this odd couple is really endearing ; all in all,in spite of some filler , a nice little film.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
