A trip through Paris reveals the power of memory and connection
The new French film Driving Madeleine will no doubt remind American viewers of 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy and 2018’s Green Book, two award-winning American movies about disparate characters connecting because of a car ride. But Driving Madeleine (or Une Belle Course, its original French title) removes the racial themes and white savior narratives that garnered criticism of the latter two films, and it’s all the better for it. While slightly predictable, Driving Madeleine is a charming, intelligent, and warm character study. If you can’t take a Sunday drive through Paris any time soon, watching this film makes for a great substitute.