The high school comedy of the eighties lives on in the new film Driver’s Ed, directed by Bobby Farrelly and written by Thomas Moffett. The film had its World Premiere at TIFF in 2025, and Vertical will release it in select theaters and On Demand beginning May 15, 2026. The Mary Sue is also pleased to announce that we have the first clip of the film to share with you.
As per the official synopsis: A group of teens hit the road in a stolen driver’s ed car, racing against time to help a lovesick high school senior (Sam Nivola) track down his college-freshman girlfriend and win her back. In 24 chaotic hours, they’re chased by school security and the cops, shot at by small-time crooks, and somehow adopt a three-legged cat.
Says Farrelly, “Many of today’s high school movies are dark, morose, and nihilistic. No doubt this is a result of some of the troubled zeitgeist of our world, but perhaps the time has come for us to bring back some levity to things. It’s my belief that comedies are not dead, they’ve merely been on hiatus. Laughter heals, after all, and we can all use a little healing.”
However, Driver’s Ed feels full of all the classic hijinks that made the class comedies of the eighties great. The story is precisely the kind of lasting influence this genre has had, and precisely why we need more films like it.
You’re never too old to go back to high school movies
“My goal in directing Driver’s Ed was to re-introduce the type of high school comedy that was so
prevalent during my own upbringing,” says Farrelly. “The Breakfast Club, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off are just a few examples of the movies that greatly influenced me. These films deftly balanced comedy with pathos, emotion, and good story-telling. They captured the awkwardness of one’s high school years, but did it with truth, humor, and a welcomed sense of hopefulness.”
The cast itself is nothing to sneeze at, either.
“The best part about directing Driver’s Ed was having the pleasure to work with such a talented group of
actors,” says Farrelly. “[Sam] Nivola delivers a powerful performance in the lead role, but the cast is rounded out beautifully by some exceptional young actors — Sophie Telegadis, Aiden LaPrete, Mohana Krishnan, and Lilah Pate. We’ll be seeing a lot more from them in the coming years. The adults in our story are skillfully played by comedy stalwarts Molly Shannon, Kumail Nanjiani, Alyssa Milano, and Tim Baltz.”
You can watch the exclusive clip here, only at The Mary Sue YouTube.
(featured image: Vertical)
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