Driveways - A Movie Review

All of a sudden, there’s no time left.

Driveways is a 2019 film. A mother takes her young son with her to clean out her late sister’s house. While cleaning through the immense piles and piles of her sister’s hoarded past, Cody makes friends with Del, the old man who lives next door.

Driveways breathes a fresh air of life. It’s a film you don’t see often, and we need more of it. This film incorporates several immersive themes, but most importantly, it defines friendship. No matter what challenges one faces, we are never alone.

The cast for Driveways includes the talents of Lucas Jaye, Hong Chau, and the late Brian Dennehy. They are each magnificent in their performances, distinguishing quiet sadness.

Hong Chau is an amazing actress. The first time I saw one of her visceral performances was in The Whale. Chau has a knack for playing strong-willed women who are somewhat broken. Kathy is a good mother to her son, Cody, though they’ve had their share of hardships. They’ve always made it work.

I love seeing child actors grow, especially Lucas Jaye, who plays Cody. He’s a very shy kid, but in his budding friendship with Del, Cody becomes quite the explorer. It’s humbling to watch his growth.

This was Dennehy’s final acting role, who sadly passed away a month before the film's release. Cody and Del’s friendship reminded me of Carl and Russell’s from Pixar’s Up. Do you ever have those people who change you? Not only does Cody grow, but so does Del. They have a lot of conversations, especially an interesting one about vomit.

With neighborhood settings comes a full ensemble of characters. Del’s friends were also comical. Credits include Christine Ebersole, Jerry Adler, Stan Carp, Bill Buell, Robyn Payne, Samantha Jones, and more. Kathy’s sister’s house plays as an essential character, even though we never see her. The film gives a perspective on everyone’s lives.

Driveways was inspired by Hannah Bos, the film’s co-writer, who based the story on when she worked with her mother in an antique shop as a child. Most of the dialogue is based on real conversations from co-writer Paul Thureen’s life. Most of Cody’s quirks are similar to those when Thureen was a child.

Andrew Ahn’s direction felt personal, planning every shot accordingly. He wanted Driveways to be something different after his directorial debut with Spa Night. Driveways is a slice-of-life story. I like these stories because they’re relatable. Everyone is enduring a quiet battle in life, and we find communities to help us.

The film was shot in the New York City area. The story resonated through the cinematography by Ki Jin Kim. Gradually, the film becomes happier. Subtlety is the magic touch for this film.

Diversity isn’t the main theme, though Driveways teaches viewers a lesson about putting judgments aside. It’s subtle, but look what war Del fought in, according to his hat.

Stories are everywhere. You don’t have to dig deep, and instead, recall what happens in your neighborhood. A lot more goes on in your neighborhood than you think.

Driveways is a coming-of-age story. Choose your time wisely. That is an important message from Driveways. As Ahn said, this film is about friendship and connection. Since the pandemic, we haven’t had enough films with these themes. Connection is so important. The pandemic made me realize how important time with friends and family is.

Check out the film Driveways. This is another film that didn’t garner its rightful audience due to its digital release during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a good watch.