The new comedy “Driver’s Ed” stars Sam Nivola as Jeremy, a lovesick high school senior with a passion for filmmaking. Jeremy spends his days shooting videos and dreaming about love, but when his girlfriend Samantha (Lilah Pate) heads off to UNC, he fears losing her to college life. His solution? Steal a driving school car and embark on a reckless road trip to win her back.
Directed by Bobby Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary) and written by Thomas Moffett, the film attempts to recapture the charm of early 2000s teen comedies. Unfortunately, Driver’s Ed feels generic and uninspired, lacking the originality and sharp comedic instincts that once defined Farrelly’s work.
The movie checks off familiar tropes: the nerdy-cute boy protagonist, the dream girl, and the oddball supporting friends. There are moments of promise in Moffett’s script—occasional flashes of personal detail—but Farrelly’s direction smooths out anything distinctive. The result is a boilerplate teen road-trip film that meanders through clichés without much energy.
Still, the young cast provides a saving grace. Sam Nivola delivers a charming and natural performance, bringing life to an otherwise thin character. Aidan Laprete, Mohana Krishnan, and Sophie Telegadis also shine, their chemistry giving the film some warmth and personality. Unfortunately, the adult cast fares less well: Molly Shannon and Kumail Nanjiani struggle in underwritten roles, adding little to the comedy.
The film’s episodic road-movie encounters—like run-ins with a dog owner, a petty thief, and even a bizarre refrigerated truck sequence—fall flat. Instead of feeling quirky or inventive, they come across as random and dull, leaving the 98-minute runtime feeling much longer.
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While Driver’s Ed is good-natured and never mean-spirited, it lacks the spark to stand out in today’s teen comedy landscape. The younger actors inject charisma and energy, but they can’t fully rescue a script bogged down by tired jokes and uninspired direction.
Grade: C
Driver’s Ed premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and is currently seeking U.S. distributio
