Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Teenager Les Anderson thinks his life can't get any worse after he flunks his driver's exam, but he's wrong. Even though he didn't receive his license, Les refuses to break his date with the cool Mercedes Lane, and he decides to lift his family's prize luxury car for the occasion. Unfortunately, Mercedes sneaks some booze along and passes out drunk, and a confused Les makes the bad decision of enlisting his rebellious friend, Dean, to help.
License to Drive is a likable late-80s teen comedy carried largely by the charm of its two leads, Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. The plot is a thin, predictable escalating-chaos premise that borrows liberally from the 'one wild night' teen comedy formula popularized earlier in the decade. Cinematography is functional at best, typical of mid-budget 80s comedies. The two Coreys bring genuine comedic energy and chemistry that elevates the material above its script, earning an above-average acting mark. The ending wraps things up in a tidy, feel-good fashion that suits the tone without being especially inventive. There's little that distinguishes it conceptually from its contemporaries, making novelty a genuine weak point.