What can you say about a movie that revolves around driving? Turns out a lot. In “Students” you will find a crisis of family relations, friendship, love, and a dream for which all means are good, repentance and forgiveness, even the topic of religion, and education, of course, too. The genre of “Students” will be vague, somewhere it is a comedy, somewhere a melodrama, somewhere even a drama, and somewhere a fairy tale.
This film is less about actions and more about conversations that reveal the truth about yourself, about others, about relationships. The film, lasting only an hour with a little time, has absorbed so many different topics that it is difficult to see them all the first time, and even more so to evaluate and think about them. I’ll go back to watching it again.
Beverly is a woman on the verge of despair, tired of the routine of family life, the endless lack of money and the new super ideas of a businessman husband, which each time only lead to a deterioration in their financial situation. For her, a driver’s license becomes synonymous with freedom, an opportunity to start a new better life, in which there will be no place for lack of money, toilets in government institutions and living in a trailer. That is why she is ready to give up everything she has, to step over herself, but to get her “beauty”.
Jessica Hines could easily create for us the image of a tortured, driven woman, but at the same time a woman extremely sweet, charming and strong-willed. You believe her, you sympathize with her, you understand her.
Ian is a frantic entrepreneur, unsuccessfully trying to train his wife to drive. Ian at the beginning of the film creates not the most positive impressions, with his fantasies he can rather be mistaken for a lazy businessman who is used to living at the expense of his wife. Ian is a dreamer, an idealist, capable of dooming his family to a miserable existence for the sake of fulfilling his dreams, but at the same time he is a sincerely loving father and husband who will always come to the rescue, always listen and try to understand.
For Shawn Dingwall, this is not the first such role. In Doctor Who, he played a character similar to Ian, Rose’s father, Pete Tyler. So he did a great job with the role. His character turns out to be a charming, sensual and kind person.
Chris is the embodiment of the ideal teacher who not only perfectly knows the material of learning, but is able to find his key to each student. I don't think he likes talking about hanging out and protruding body parts of his young pupil's girlfriends, but he won't show a look. He speaks to students in their language, emotionally adjusting to their mood and condition. At the same time, Chris is able to unobtrusively give the right advice regarding the student’s personal life. Chris himself is a soft and quiet man, suddenly able to stand up for himself and his ideals. "Wolf in sheep's clothing," as the character aptly presented himself. And this is a perfect fit for him.
David Tennant was very timid, quiet and harmonious in this role. It is hard to imagine that in this humble, somewhat ridiculous and naive person he plays, David’s powerful charisma, charm and energy can be hidden.
With the heroine of Sarah Hadland, Fiona, another romantic line in the film is associated. Fiona is a strong and strong-willed heroine, who for all others personifies success and unfading beauty, but in fact turns out to be a deeply unhappy woman who does not have the strength to break off relations with a married man, for fear of total loneliness. Sarah Hadland in this role is charming and extremely truthful.
The other minor characters in the picture are given just a few minutes, but the actors manage to create diverse, bright and unforgettable characters in such a short time. Whether it’s an artist-loser, it seems, afraid of everything in the world, or a spectacular, overly emotional girl-student, whether it’s an unfaithful husband, and at the same time a policeman and a good friend or a cleaner-partner who dreams of her home in Ukraine – they are all charming and bring ease to the film.
The film is light and pleasant, with a good dose of British humor. He also gave me a smile to remember my own driving training. The scene of Beverly and Ian in the car reminded me of my one and only attempt to drive my dad and husband in my dad's car, which was the same, except that I couldn't express my emotions as freely as Beverly, although I really wanted to: In general, as my instructor used to say, “Never try to learn to drive with your dad/husband/boyfriend!”
“Students” is a sketch film, an event taken out of the flow of human life, an event that is not important for society and humanity as a whole, but becomes a turning point for the life of an individual and his family. If you want to look at real life, at an unrealized reality on the screen, but at the same time get a charge of positive, then be sure to appreciate this film. If you are going to rent in the near future, it is extremely preferable to familiarize yourself with this picture, it will give you confidence and, perhaps, will not make some mistakes.
10 out of 10