License To Drive (1988)

The Two Corey’s—it doesn’t get much better than that! Corey Haim and Corey Feldman team up again for License to Drive. Les Anderson (Haim) is preparing for the most important event in every young man’s life . . . he’s going for his drivers license. Everyone assumes he’ll pass including Les, who cruises into the exam with total cockiness. “Why don’t they just give licenses away,” he mumbles as he initially answers the questions with ease. One wrong answer blows his confidence and Les fails the test. The scene with the SCARY DMV lady is pretty funny.

Les decides not to tell anyone that he didn’t get his license, especially the girl of his dreams who calls, asking him to pick her up for a date. Mercedes Lane (Heather Graham) is wild, crazy, and beautiful. Les has his hands full trying to keep up with her all night: ex-boyfriend slapping, champagne drinking, car hood dancing. He’s in way over his head. Before the night’s over, Grandpa’s antique, baby-blue Cadillac (which was taken without permission) is ruined.
When Les makes it back home, his mother is in labor and dad’s looking for the Cadillac to get to the hospital. The battered caddy will only drive in reverse now, and Les redeems himself by showing off some mad driving skills as he gets him mom to the emergency room just in time!

The best scene is when Les’s dad allows him to drive, before he’s gone to try for his license, to take Mercedes home from school. His Dad had just been grocery shopping, takes all of the bags out of the car, and allows Les to impress her. Les promises to be just a few minutes. When he finally gets back, his dad is walking home, sweating profusely, and dropping groceries everywhere.

The film centers around Haim’s character, but Feldman offers great support as the “seize the day” best friend. In Ferris Bueller fashion, Les Anderson talks to audiences/the camera, too: “An innocent girl. A harmless drive. What could possibly go wrong?” And of course, the answer is everything. Corey Haim did an excellent job carrying this film— he was in his prime. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MdozlUSwhY.