''Who's Driving Doug'' is a 2016 American independent

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

road film A road movie is a film genre in which the main characters leave home on a road trip, typically altering the perspective from their everyday lives. Road movies often depict travel in the hinterlands, with the films exploring the theme of alienatio ...

directed by David Michael Conley, starring

RJ Mitte Roy Frank "RJ" Mitte III (; born August 21, 1992) is an American actor, best known for playing Walter "Flynn" White Jr. on the AMC series '' Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013). Like his character on the show, he has cerebral palsy. After moving to ...

, Paloma Kwiatkowski,

Daphne Zuniga Daphne Eurydice Zuniga (; born October 28, 1962) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1982 slasher film '' The Dorm That Dripped Blood'' (1982) at the age of 19, followed by a lead role in another slasher film '' The Initiation ...

, and

Ray William Johnson Ray William Johnson is an American internet celebrity best known for his eponymous YouTube channel and his web series on that channel, ''Equals Three''. In 2013, the channel surpassed 10 million subscribers and had over 2 billion views, making ...

, and featuring Travis Flores. It was produced by David Katz and Nicola Carbonetta and written by Michael Carnick. The film follows Doug (Mitte), an introvert with muscular dystrophy who goes on a road trip with driver Scott (Johnson) and friend Stephanie (Kwiatkowski) in order to get away from his overbearing mother (Zuniga).

Cast

as Doug * Paloma Kwiatkowski as Stephanie *

as Alison *

as Scott * Travis Flores as Kevin

Production

The film's writer, Michael Carnick, has Muscular Dystrophy, but the film is not strictly autobiographical. Casting for the film was announced in May 2014, with

, Paloma Kwiatkowski,

, as well as comedian

, best known for his '' Equals Three'' series, being announced in his first film role. Filming began on May 27, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.

Release

''Who's Driving Doug'' was acquired by Filmbuff in early February 2016 and premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 6, 2016. It will be released in late February.

Reception

''Who's Driving Doug'' received mixed-to-negative reviews. It holds a 20% on Rotten Tomatoes. Tirdad Derakhshani said of the film "Who's Driving Doug, an emotional coming-of-age story about a college student with osteodystrophy, is one of those movies that stacks the decks against critical viewers. If you don't like it, you come off as a heartless misanthrope - especially since its titular star, RJ Mitte, actually suffers from mild cerebral palsy. It's hard to enjoy a film peopled by so many unlikable people." ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...

'' gave the film a generally positive review, praising the performances of Mitte, Zuniga, Johnson, with particular praising going toward Johnson, saying "Johnson makes the strongest impression of all. He can be alternately surly and sympathetic, maddening and generous; this is a beautifully nuanced performance." ''Back To The Movies'' called it a "A beautiful tale of love, life, responsibility and coping with life when the odds are stacked again you, ''Who’s Driving Doug'' is a heart-felt tale that tugs at the heart strings every step of the way."

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, id=3733606, title=Who's Driving Doug 2016 films 2010s drama road movies American drama road movies American independent films 2016 independent films 2016 drama films 2010s English-language films 2010s American films