There’s something comfortingly familiar about Driver’s Ed, Bobby Farrelly’s throwback teen comedy about a group of high schoolers who steal their driver’s ed car and hit the road in a desperate attempt to win back a girlfriend.
It’s built on a premise that feels pulled straight out of the late-90s and early-2000s playbook: dumb kids, impulsive decisions, and a chaotic road trip full of escalating nonsense. If you grew up on Road Trip, EuroTrip, or Sex Drive, you’ll recognize the formula immediately. The catch is that Driver’s Ed plays more like a greatest hits remix of those movies rather than something that evolves the genre.
That’s not always a bad thing.
The movie leans hard into the “journey comedy” structure, and honestly, that’s where it works best. Side quests pop up constantly, from random encounters to absurd detours like trying to rescue a three-legged cat, and those moments give the film its personality. There’s a fun gag about the kids not knowing how to properly pull over because they literally haven’t learned yet, which hits with exactly the kind of stupid brilliance you want from a movie like this.
And then there’s the chaos. A completely ridiculous shootout shows up out of nowhere and manages to be just as dumb as it is funny. That balance, where the movie fully commits to its own stupidity, is when Driver’s Ed finds its groove.
Performance-wise, it’s a mixed bag with a few standouts that keep things afloat. Kumail Nanjiani is easily the MVP here. The second he shows up, the energy spikes. He’s effortlessly funny, completely dialed into the tone, and ends up delivering most of the film’s most quotable lines. Every time he leaves the screen, you’re basically waiting for him to come back. He doesn’t just support the movie; he elevates it.
Molly Shannon is a bit more hit-or-miss, depending on your tolerance for her brand of quirky chaos, but she undeniably brings personality. Her presence adds texture to the adult side of the cast, even if she’s operating in familiar territory.
The younger cast does exactly what this kind of movie needs. The lead, played by Sam Nivola, is intentionally a bit of a blank slate. He’s the classic lovesick, slightly boring protagonist that lets the chaos swirl around him. It works, but it’s not memorable.
Where the film really finds another spark is with Yoshi, the resident stoner archetype who feels like a modern, Gen Z spin on a Tommy Chong type. His delivery is consistently sharp, and he ends up being one of the only characters who sticks with you. He gets some of the best comedic beats, and unlike a lot of the film, his jokes land more often than not.
That’s kind of the overall story here. For every joke that falls flat, there’s another that connects. The hit rate isn’t great, but it’s just strong enough to keep things moving.
Visually, the movie checks all the road trip boxes. There’s plenty of scenic driving footage that gives it that open-road feel. It doesn’t reinvent anything, but it delivers the vibe you expect. The soundtrack also deserves a shout. It’s loaded with indie tracks that feel specifically curated for a high school road trip playlist. It’s the kind of music you would’ve had on repeat in your car at 17.
That said, Driver’s Ed does run a little long for what it is. At under 100 minutes, it shouldn’t feel stretched, but the pacing occasionally drags, especially when a joke or sequence doesn’t fully land.
And that’s ultimately what holds it back.
The movie is charming. It’s easygoing. It’s sometimes genuinely funny. But it never quite escapes the shadow of the films it’s clearly inspired by. You’re enjoying yourself, but you can’t help thinking about how much sharper, funnier, and more memorable those earlier movies were.
It’s a modern, softer, almost more innocent version of Road Trip. The edge is sanded down, the chaos is a little safer, and the emotional stakes are more earnest than outrageous. That might work for some audiences, but it also makes the film feel like it’s playing things a bit too safe.
In the end, Driver’s Ed is a one-watch kind of movie. It’s a pleasant ride with a few standout passengers, especially Kumail Nanjiani and Yoshi, but not one you’re rushing to take again.
It takes some big swings. Some connect, some don’t. But at least it keeps the car moving.
Jessie Hobson