Who's Driving Doug (2016)

Awesome Movie

A Masterpiece!

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

I didn't expect to see RJ Mitte in a feature film following Breaking Bad, but here we are. He could have been in something worse, but, with a simple script and story, it made me look forward to his next feature film role. Not a bad place to startI also enjoyed seeing Paloma Kwiatkowski again following her role in Bates Motel, and also Ray William Johnson.The story of course (if you've seen the trailer) focuses on Doug, a boy with Muscular Dystrophy, who decides to go on a road trip with a new friend and carer Scott, and Stephenie, a girl he has a crush on. Along the way hurdles and issues arise concerning both Doug and Scott.Mitte definitely gives it his all having to work through his real life condition, and I really recommend him for it. That being said I knew he could pull it off, having gotten through 5 seasons of Breaking Bad. I liked the characters enough, and how they talked with each other throughout. I wish Kwiatkowski had more to do; the film is primarily about Doug and Scott, and admittedly, not a film I'll remember her for. One thing I'll remember are the scenes where Doug's anger and resentment make him imagine saying certain things to people, and it's all in his head, kinda like the throat slash clip in Superbad. I enjoyed the scenes where Doug is finally doing stuff away from his overbearing mother.The script for this movie is like I said, simple. And I'm not gonna lie, really ends like a Transformers movie, just REALLY anti-climactic, it's like a dry fart. And the thing is, I saw it coming. The ending is just THERE, nothing else to it, it's passable.I give it a 6 out of 10

Who's Driving Doug is directed by David Michael Conley and stars RJ Mitte with Paloma Kwiatkowski and Ray William Johnson. Doug is a sheltered, intelligent college student who changes his life forever when he hires an underachieving driver, Scott, and heads out on a spontaneous road trip with him to Las Vegas. The drama genre as of late has become very predictable and at times sloppy and weak, with the exceptions of this year's Spotlight and The Big Short. Who's Driving Doug feels very intimate and low budget, with newcomer Ray William Johnson making a wonderful debut into the acting world, sharing some lovely moments of chemistry with Doug, who is perfectly portrayed by RJ Mitte.Shooting on location in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, with the amazing performances by all the cast and having a beautifully written screenplay really helps pull the entire concept together. It's very much a buddy comedy with some serious topics and great music throughout. I have one slight issue; in the final act, there's a somewhat predictable twist that I absolutely wish was handled with a lot more care. It just felt jarring when they cut straight from this moment into a shot that doesn't quite correlate with the previous scene. If this was lingered on a little more, I feel it would have been amazing. That said, it's a feel-good comedy/drama that turns in many directions with some really great scenes of dialogue and morals. Music by Chad Rehmann is an acoustic tour de force with a simplistic approach that ties the whole picture together fluently. It's very guitar and piano based, with melodies that weave in and out of scenes with a subtle drone to tie up the ends of each piece. Alongside the score by Rehmann is the soundtrack by Death Cab for Cutie who have gracefully allowed their music to be featured throughout the running length of the movie, fitting perfectly with the forever changing mood of the story. My verdict; Who's Driving Doug is a wonderful take on the drama genre and succeeds in everything it sets out to achieve. (Now available to stream on Netflix)Who's Driving Doug, 7/10.

I was not expecting to like this film. The summary sounded like any other coming of age story, only a low-budget indie one. Wow, was I surprised. This one was really outside the box, emotionally connected, quite funny, very entertaining and not necessarily all about the coming of age thing (sorry for being vague, don't want to spoil it).The story was probably the best part as stories based in the real life of the writer often are.The acting was quite strong. RJ Mitte nailed the lead role, Paloma Kwiatkowski was mesmerizing to watch, and Ray William Johnson turned in a powerful and emotional performance to round out this thoroughly tasty trio of performances.And, the budget wasn't quite as small as I'd expected. This film looks good, sounds good, and is good. If you're looking for something compelling, heartwarming, and different, this is it.Hello Netflix people: you should pick this one up. It's something special. (And, I say that as someone who does not know anyone affiliated with the making of this film. Your subscribers need more fresh, unique, new content and it would be hard to imagine them not liking this one).

This is really a heart touching drama ... the most sad scene is when Doug and Stephanie loses their best friend Scott in an accident .... this is an excellent drama ... mostly the heart touching .... Love this ... ;) The way it started and the way it ended ... i really enjoyed this drama ... it is really a nice story . When i was watching it , i am literally about to cry , the way it feels like it is real and it is happening right now with you ... and the second sad scene is when Scott loses his best friend whose is admitted in hospital with something happens to his lungs , and Scott was crying ... feels like Kevin is a part of a family ... That is totally totally heart touching drama ... I wish that this will never happens in anyone lives in real .. Because it is really Sad story ... Love This ... Keep it up ;)