Movie Review: Driving Miss Daisy

I was looking through my pile of movies, trying to find some good comedy as I needed some good laughing medicine. Anyway, I came across Driving Miss Daisy starring Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy, and Dan Aykroyd. Hmm, it seemed like an interesting one because Morgan Freeman’s in it. I’ve always thought Freeman as a natural and funny actor. You’ll rarely be disappointed with his movies.

Miss Daisy (Tandy) is an elderly woman who thinks she can drive properly. She’s quite a stubborn old lady and always insists on driving her car herself. One morning, while attempting to drive out of her driveway, she crashes her car.

Her son, Boolie (Aykroyd), then hires Hoke (Freeman) to be Miss Daisy’s chauffeur. She doesn’t need a chauffeur. If she wants to get anywhere, she can either walk or call a taxicab. So Hoke’s just hanging around the house helping out here and there while being reprimanded by Miss Daisy all the time.

Whatever he does, she has a reason to tell him to stop doing it whether it’s tending to her garden, or if he’s having a small chat with the servant or even when he’s just looking at her photographs! You’ll be amazed at Hoke’s endless patience and happy-go-lucky attitude. Those days were Martin Luther King days and African Americans still received unequal treatment. For example, they weren’t allowed to use the toilets at gas stations.

However, Miss Daisy begins to treat Hoke in a less harsh way and allows her to drive her around. She also discovers that he can’t read but he knows his ABCs. She then gives him a book to practise his writing during Christmas but she says that it’s not a Christmas present.

It’s a nice movie which touches on racism and friendship.