Saturday, May 28, 2011

Movie review – “Driving Miss Daisy” (1989) ***

Sometimes small time films just hit the spot with critics and the public which is what happened here. It’s a delicate tale about the friendship between a Jewish woman in the South and her black chauffer – a different look at race relations. Miss Daisy refuses to think she’s prejudice and constantly talks about how poor she was growing up but won’t invite Hoke along to a Martin Luther King speech. Hoke’s cheerful but just wants a job. Finely observed and all that – exquisitely played by Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman. Dan Aykroyd is less good, but he’s okay – his character has a great deal of poignancy, seemingly unable to have children with his wife, a good man trying to do his besting a tough world. Bruce Beresford's direction is pacey rather than sensitive and tranquil but pace is what it needs.

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