NoFace for Film

Title: License to Drive
Year: 1988
Director: Greg Beeman
Starring Cast: Corey Haim, Corey Feldman
Rated: PG-13

NoFace for Film rating: 5 out of 7

I saw this underrated, classic teen comedy recently on HBO at my parents’ house. You can’t imagine the elation I felt when this came on. Happy flashbacks of my childhood flooded my memory as I sat down to watch License to Drive.

Let me set the scene here for a minute.

During the mid-80s, Teen Idoldom was ruled by two guys named Corey. One was blonde and adorable but not that good of an actor; the other was brunette, a bit of a bad boy, but a better actor. Together they made a few movies. Most, especially their later works, were really shitty and stupid (e.g., Dream a Little Dream), but two of their early films are priceless. One is my all-time favorite Haim-Feldman collaboration, The Lost Boys; the other is this movie.

License to Drive is a movie that many teenagers can relate to, even in this day and age, and it definitely strikes a chord to those of us who used to be teens. How many of you remember wanting to borrow your dad’s car to go to some cool party but couldn’t because you don’t have your license yet? How many of you were embarrassed that your parents would have to drop off you and your date to the movies? How many of you felt nervous when you finally took your driving test? Can you remember the happiness you felt when you passed it, and asked your parent to drive you guys home from the DMV?

Les Anderson (Haim) is on Cloud Nine when Mercedes (Heather Graham), the girl of his dreams, miraculously agrees to go out with him. However, his dream is temporarily shattered when he fails the driving test. When Mercedes reminds Les about their date, he decides to take a chance, by “borrowing” his grandfather’s Cadillac (which is being kept safe by Les’s parents), sneaking out of the house, and driving without a license. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

Now granted, this ain’t Shakespeare. The plot is relatively predictable, the characters are two-dimensional, and the acting isn’t great. Graham has no personality at all and is merely teenage boys’ (and male adults I suppose) eye candy. Then why in the hell do I give it a 5 out of 7? Because it’s really funny! License to Drive does what it’s meant to do- take ordinary people and throw them in ridiculous, extraordinary situations. By sneaking out on his date, Les unintentionally takes a “crash course” in defensive driving. With his buddies -wisecracking Dean (Feldman) and nerdy Charles (Michael Manasseri)- this would be a night none of them would ever forget.

Haim is of course, very cute and charming in this movie. You don’t really get annoyed at him, even though he does a lot of stupid things throughout the movie. Feldman has the smartass friend role down pat. After all, he’s had a lot of practice (i.e. Stand By Me, The Goonies, The Lost Boys). Meanwhile, although Graham is only a year older than Haim in real life, she looks so much older and more mature than him. He looked about 15 in the movie, while she looked about 18. I understand that since Mercedes is used to dating older guys, she’s supposed to look a little older, not to mention that she represents the perfect girlfriend. Still, Mercedes just seemed too old for Les.

Although The Lost Boys is still my favorite Haim/Feldman movie, I could definitely watch License to Drive over and over again. I heartily recommend License to Drive as a fun rental on a Friday night.

License to Drive, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Heather Graham, drivers license, car