License to Drive

Last updated

License to Drive
License to drive poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Greg Beeman
Written by Neil Tolkin
Produced by
  • Jeffrey A. Mueller
  • Andrew Licht
Starring
Cinematography Bruce Surtees
Edited by
Music by Jay Ferguson
Production
company
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date
  • July 6, 1988 (1988-07-06)(United States)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8 million
Box office$22.4 million (United States)

License to Drive is a 1988 American teen comedy film written by Neil Tolkin and directed by Greg Beeman in his feature film directorial debut. It stars Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Heather Graham, and Carol Kane. The film was in production in late 1987. It was released on July 6, 1988, in the United States and grossed over $20 million at the North American box office. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Contents

Plot

Southern California teenager Les Anderson tries to get his driver's license to impress his crush, beautiful Mercedes Lane. He fails the knowledge portion of the exam but inadvertently causes a computer surge.

Les' failing marks are thought to be irretrievable, but the Department of Motor Vehicles lets him pass the exam after comparing him to his twin sister's high marks. He eventually passes the road test, but his real test scores are finally retrieved and his license is revoked.

Les tries concealing the truth from his parents, but his mother finds out the truth and his father grounds him for two weeks. Les had previously made plans to drive his grandfather's prized 1972 Cadillac Sedan de Ville and decides to sneak away anyway for a joyride with Mercedes.

Mercedes gets drunk and then she and Les accidentally cave in the hood of the car after dancing on it. She passes out; Les panics and goes to his best friend Dean's house to have him fix the dent in the car's hood.

Dean persuades Les to continue the joyride along with their friend Charles, but are unaware Les still does not have his license. The three put Mercedes in the trunk of the car and continue their night on the town, causing even more damage to the Cadillac. Meanwhile, Mrs. Anderson wakes up her husband late in the night announcing she is in labor.

The next day, Les drops off Charles and Dean at their homes. Mercedes wakes up and believes that the night prior was a dream. Les drops her off at her house where they share a kiss. Les gets in trouble with his father Robert after returning home with the damaged Cadillac.

Mrs. Anderson is still in labor, but since the car's transmission will not shift into drive Les is forced to drive his family to the hospital in reverse. She is taken into the hospital but a crane fails outside and a falling steel girder crushes the Cadillac, much to the shock of Les and Robert.

Sometime later, Mrs. Anderson gives birth to twin babies, and the family tries to explain the state of the Cadillac to Les' grandfather, but Grandpa laughs it off as he reveals he has severely damaged his son's own BMW in an accident. Robert gives the BMW to Les and jokingly tells him to take good care of it.

Although Les thanks his father, he has changed his mind and doesn't want it anymore. Mercedes pulls up in a white Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet and picks up Les, and it's implied that he did get his license since he gets in her car and drives away.

Cast

● Brett Clark as friend of Les

Reception

Box office

It earned $22,433,275 at the North American box office, [1] against a production budget of $8 million.

Critical response

License to Drive received generally negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 24% approval rating based on 25 reviews, with an average score of 4/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Despite a hard-working cast and a premise that will appeal to its teenage target demographic, this deeply silly comedy only has a License to Drive audiences to seek out better films." [2] On Metacritic, the film had an average score of 36 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [3] Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert gave the film two and a half out of four stars and described the film as "more-than-passable summer entertainment, especially when it identifies with the yearnings of its young heroes to get behind the wheel." He said the first half of the film was "very funny" but the second half was "much more predictable". [4]

Music

Track listing
  1. "Drive My Car" by Breakfast Club – 3:13
  2. "Sweet Surrender" by Brenda K. Starr – 4:50
  3. "I Feel Free" (extended version) by Belinda Carlisle – 6:55
  4. "Time Starts Now" by Boys Club – 4:28
  5. "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" by Billy Ocean – 4:43
  6. "Crucial" by New Edition – 4:30
  7. "One More Dance" by Jonathan Butler – 4:32
  8. "Jazzy's in the House" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – 2:55
  9. "Touch and Go" by Femme Fatale – 3:57
  10. "Make Some Noise" by Slave Raider – 3:28

Songs played in the film, but not on the soundtrack

  1. "Mercedes Boy" by Pebbles – 3:54 (single remix)
  2. "Rush Hour" by Jane Wiedlin – 4:03
  3. "Strangers in the Night" by Frank Sinatra
  4. "That's Life" by Frank Sinatra
  5. "Waiting for the Big One" by Femme Fatale
  6. "Trouble" by Nia Peeples

Home media

License to Drive was first released on VHS by CBS/Fox Video in late 1988. It was notable that some VHS versions of the film replaced the Nia Peeples song "Trouble" with "New Sensation" by INXS.

A special edition DVD was distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment in the United States on May 3, 2005. Special features included interviews with Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, audio commentary with Greg Beeman and Neil Tolkin, deleted scenes, TV spots, theatrical trailers, and the film's screenplay (DVD-ROM).

On January 17, 2012, Anchor Bay released the film on Blu-ray.

Unmade sequel and trilogy

In an interview on Larry King Live , on March 10, 2010, the day of Corey Haim's death, Corey Feldman revealed that he and Haim had been developing a sequel, titled License to Fly, an idea initiated by Haim. Feldman also stated that there were tentative plans for a trilogy, with a third installment called License to Dive. [5]

Reboot

As of 2017, Fox Studios and Davis Entertainment were developing a female-driven reboot based on the film. [6] [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corey Feldman</span> American actor (born 1971)

Corey Scott Feldman is an American actor. As a youth, he became well known for roles in the 1980s in films such as Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), Gremlins (1984), The Goonies (1985), and Stand by Me (1986). Feldman collaborated with Corey Haim starring in numerous films such as the horror film The Lost Boys (1987), the teen comedy License to Drive (1988) and the romantic comedy Dream a Little Dream (1989). They reunited for the A&E reality series The Two Coreys, which ran from 2007 to 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heather Graham</span> American actress (born 1970)

Heather Joan Graham is an American actress. After appearing in television commercials, her first starring role in a feature film came with the teen comedy License to Drive (1988), followed by the critically acclaimed film Drugstore Cowboy (1989). She then played supporting roles on the television series Twin Peaks (1991), and in films such as Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and Swingers (1996). She gained critical praise for her role as "Rollergirl" in the film Boogie Nights (1997). This led to major roles in the comedy films Bowfinger and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corey Haim</span> Canadian actor (1971–2010)

Corey Ian Haim was a Canadian actor. He starred in Silver Bullet (1985), Murphy's Romance (1985), Lucas (1986), License to Drive (1988) and Dream a Little Dream (1989). His role alongside Corey Feldman in The Lost Boys (1987) made him a household name. Known as The Two Coreys, the duo became 1980s icons and appeared together in seven films, later starring in the A&E American reality show The Two Coreys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Two Coreys</span> Actors Corey Feldman and Corey Haim

The Two Coreys refer to American actor Corey Feldman and Canadian actor Corey Haim (1971–2010), who were often paired.

<i>National Lampoons Last Resort</i> 1994 film

National Lampoon's Last Resort is a 1994 direct-to-video comedy film directed by Rafal Zielinski. The film stars Corey Feldman and Corey Haim as Sam and Dave, two friends who are visiting a Caribbean island resort.

<i>Changing Lanes</i> 2002 American drama thriller film

Changing Lanes is a 2002 American drama thriller film directed by Roger Michell and starring Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson. The film follows a successful, young Wall Street lawyer (Affleck) who accidentally crashes his car into a vehicle driven by a middle-aged, recovering alcoholic insurance salesman (Jackson). After the lawyer leaves the scene of the accident, the two men try to get back at each other, engaging in a variety of immoral and illegal actions that end up having a major impact on each man's life.

<i>Bushwhacked</i> (film) 1995 film by Greg Beeman

Bushwhacked is a 1995 American adventure comedy, film starring Daniel Stern, Jon Polito, Anthony Heald and Brad Sullivan. Directed by Greg Beeman, it was his last theatrical film before he moved on to direct television films for Disney Channel beginning in 1997. This also marked Sullivan's last theatrical film appearance before his retirement in 2000 and death in 2008.

<i>Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter</i> 1984 film by Joseph Zito

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is a 1984 American slasher film directed by Joseph Zito, produced by Frank Mancuso Jr., and starring Kimberly Beck, Corey Feldman, Crispin Glover, and Peter Barton. It is the sequel to Friday the 13th Part III (1982) and the fourth installment in the Friday the 13th franchise. Picking up immediately after the events of the previous film, the plot follows a presumed-dead Jason Voorhees who escapes from the morgue and returns to Crystal Lake to continue his killing spree. The film marks the debut of the character Tommy Jarvis (Feldman), who would make further appearances in two sequels and related media, establishing him as Jason's archenemy.

<i>Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star</i> 2003 film by Sam Weisman

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring David Spade, Mary McCormack, Jon Lovitz, Craig Bierko, Alyssa Milano, and Rob Reiner. Spade portrays a child actor who fell into obscurity as an adult and who attempts to revive his career by getting a part in Rob Reiner's next film. In addition, the movie shows Dickie interacting with numerous former child stars, played by over two dozen actual former stars lampooning their careers, such as Leif Garrett, Barry Williams, Corey Feldman, Emmanuel Lewis, Dustin Diamond, and Danny Bonaduce.

<i>Dream a Little Dream</i> (film) 1989 film by Marc Rocco

Dream a Little Dream is a 1989 American fantasy-romantic comedy-drama film directed by Marc Rocco and starring Corey Feldman, Corey Haim, Meredith Salenger, Jason Robards, Piper Laurie and Harry Dean Stanton. It was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina. This was the third film featuring The Two Coreys. A direct to video sequel, Dream a Little Dream 2, was released in 1994.

<i>Blown Away</i> (1993 film) 1993 film by Brenton Spencer

Blown Away is a 1993 erotic thriller film directed by Brenton Spencer and starring Corey Haim, Nicole Eggert, and Corey Feldman. The film premiered on HBO on August 14, 1993, and was released on VHS on November 23, 1993.

Neil Tolkin is a Canadian screenwriter from Montreal. He attended Westmount High School and Dawson College and McGill University.

<i>Kansas</i> (film) 1988 film starring Matt Dillon and Andrew McCarthy directed by David Stevens

Kansas is a 1988 American crime drama film starring Matt Dillon and Andrew McCarthy.

<i>Lost Boys: The Tribe</i> 2008 film by P. J. Pesce

Lost Boys: The Tribe is a 2008 American black comedy horror film directed by P. J. Pesce, which serves as a sequel to the 1987 film, The Lost Boys. The film stars Tad Hilgenbrink, Angus Sutherland, Autumn Reeser and Corey Feldman.

<i>New Jersey Drive</i> 1995 film directed by Nick Gomez

New Jersey Drive is a 1995 crime drama film written and directed by Nick Gomez and executive produced by Spike Lee. The film is about joyriding teenagers in 1990s Newark, New Jersey, then known as the "car theft capital of the world". The film was an official selection at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival.

<i>Joyride</i> (1997 film) 1997 American film

Joyride is a 1997 American film directed by Quinton Peeples.

<i>Big Shots</i> (film) 1987 American film

Big Shots is a 1987 American adventure comedy film directed by Robert Mandel, starring Ricky Busker and Darius McCrary.

<i>Lost Boys: The Thirst</i> 2010 American film

Lost Boys: The Thirst is a 2010 American black comedy action horror film directed by Dario Piana and stars Corey Feldman, Casey B. Dolan, Tanit Phoenix and Jamison Newlander. It is a sequel to Lost Boys: The Tribe (2008) and the third and final film of The Lost Boys trilogy.

"Plus One" is the third episode of the eleventh season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode was written by Chris Carter and directed by Kevin Hooks. It aired on January 17, 2018, on Fox. The traditional tagline, "The Truth is Out There" is displayed twice. The cold open features the song "Unsaid Undone" from David Duchovny's debut album Hell or Highwater.

<i>My Truth: The Rape of 2 Coreys</i> 2020 American documentary film

My Truth: The Rape of 2 Coreys is a 2020 American documentary film directed by Brian Herzlinger and produced by Corey Feldman and Arthur Jameson. Feldman also stars in the film. The film showcases allegations that Feldman and fellow actor Corey Haim were sexually abused as children to young adolescents by several men connected to the entertainment industry.

References

  1. ↑ "License to Drive (1988)". Box Office Mojo . Internet Movie Database. Archived from the original on October 3, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  2. ↑ "License to Drive (1988) - Rotten Tomatoes". RottenTomatoes.com. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  3. ↑ "License to Drive (1988): Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  4. ↑ Ebert, Roger (July 6, 1988). "License To Drive review". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  5. ↑ Wigler, Josh (March 10, 2010). "Corey Feldman Tells Larry King About Corey Haim's Final Days". MTV News . MTV. Archived from the original on April 12, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  6. ↑ Busch, Anita (August 15, 2017). "'License To Drive': Female-Driven Reboot Hits The Road With Fox And John Davis". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  7. ↑ "'License to Drive' Remake in the Works at Fox". The Hollywood Reporter . August 15, 2017. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.