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Who's Driving Doug

ComedyDrama

A sheltered, intelligent college student DOUG (RJ Mitte of "Breaking Bad") changes his life forever when he hires an underachieving driver SCOTT (Ray William Johnson of "Equals Three"). In order to escape his oppressively loving MOTHER (Daphne Zuniga), Doug agrees to go on a spontaneous road trip with Scott and his college crush STEPHANIE (Paloma Kwiatkowski of "Bates Motel"). At the height of the journey, a tragic series of events tests their bond and opens the road to self discovery. Drugs, gambling, and romance await the three friends in this honest American coming of age drama.

Year

2016

Duration

1h 39m

IMDb

5.9

Hero Poster

Cast

RJ Mitte

Doug

Daphne Zuniga

Alison

Paloma Kwiatkowski

Stephanie

Cast

RJ Mitte

Doug

Daphne Zuniga

Alison

Paloma Kwiatkowski

Stephanie

Ray William Johnson

Scott

Shanti Lowry

Elation

Brian Konowal

Orderly

Alix Elizabeth Gitter

Abby

Thomas Crawford

Counselor

Jeff Gum

Julian

Quinn Friedman

Young Doug's Friend

Greta Jung

Talkative Student

Brian Takahashi

Japanese Businessman

Pam Cook

Waitress

Hunter Payton Mendoza

Young Doug

AS

Anna Sampson

Club patron

SL

Stevie Leigh

Teacher's Aide

Devan Liljedahl

Student Author #1

KW

Karina Weeks

Peggy waitress

Trailer

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Comments

10 Comments

SK - MUSIC / PRODUCTJun 14, 2025

I didn't expect to see RJ Mitte in a feature film following Breaking Bad, but here we are. He could have been in something worse, but, with a simple script and story, it made me look forward to his next feature film role. Not a bad place to start I also enjoyed seeing Paloma Kwiatkowski again following her role in Bates Motel, and also Ray William Johnson. The story of course (if you've seen the trailer) focuses on Doug, a boy with Muscular Dystrophy, who decides to go on a road trip with a new friend and carer Scott, and Stephenie, a girl he has a crush on. Along the way hurdles and issues arise concerning both Doug and Scott. Mitte definitely gives it his all having to work through his real life condition, and I really recommend him for it. That being said I knew he could pull it off, having gotten through 5 seasons of Breaking Bad. I liked the characters enough, and how they talked with each other throughout. I wish Kwiatkowski had more to do; the film is primarily about Doug and Scott, and admittedly, not a film I'll remember her for. One thing I'll remember are the scenes where Doug's anger and resentment make him imagine saying certain things to people, and it's all in his head, kinda like the throat slash clip in Superbad. I enjoyed the scenes where Doug is finally doing stuff away from his overbearing mother. The script for this movie is like I said, simple. And I'm not gonna lie, really ends like a Transformers movie, just REALLY anti-climactic, it's like a dry fart. And the thing is, I saw it coming. The ending is just THERE, nothing else to it, it's passable. I give it a 6 out of 10

Fify Befe Oa NanaJun 14, 2025

Who's Driving Doug is directed by David Michael Conley and stars RJ Mitte with Paloma Kwiatkowski and Ray William Johnson. Doug is a sheltered, intelligent college student who changes his life forever when he hires an underachieving driver, Scott, and heads out on a spontaneous road trip with him to Las Vegas. The drama genre as of late has become very predictable and at times sloppy and weak, with the exceptions of this year's Spotlight and The Big Short. Who's Driving Doug feels very intimate and low budget, with newcomer Ray William Johnson making a wonderful debut into the acting world, sharing some lovely moments of chemistry with Doug, who is perfectly portrayed by RJ Mitte. Shooting on location in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, with the amazing performances by all the cast and having a beautifully written screenplay really helps pull the entire concept together. It's very much a buddy comedy with some serious topics and great music throughout. I have one slight issue; in the final act, there's a somewhat predictable twist that I absolutely wish was handled with a lot more care. It just felt jarring when they cut straight from this moment into a shot that doesn't quite correlate with the previous scene. If this was lingered on a little more, I feel it would have been amazing. That said, it's a feel-good comedy/drama that turns in many directions with some really great scenes of dialogue and morals. Music by Chad Rehmann is an acoustic tour de force with a simplistic approach that ties the whole picture together fluently. It's very guitar and piano based, with melodies that weave in and out of scenes with a subtle drone to tie up the ends of each piece. Alongside the score by Rehmann is the soundtrack by Death Cab for Cutie who have gracefully allowed their music to be featured throughout the running length of the movie, fitting perfectly with the forever changing mood of the story. My verdict; Who's Driving Doug is a wonderful take on the drama genre and succeeds in everything it sets out to achieve. (Now available to stream on Netflix) Who's Driving Doug, 7/10.

Une_lionne_du94Jun 14, 2025

I am 67 years old and have enjoyed movies as far back as I can remember. I was watching Clark Gable films when he was still making them, and Steve McQueen was still in Alaska driving a tank for the Marines. My point? I have had a huge selection of films to watch, and I am telling you that this film is one of the best movies I have ever seen. The typecasting was dead on, for every single role, from the over-doting mother to the very rebellious "Scott" who drives the vehicle for "Doug" (whose life long ambition is to see Las Vegas just once before he dies). No, Doug does not die, but he wishes to complete the journey his deceased father had promised him. Ms Kwiatkowski plays "Stephanie", Doug's secret crush, and agrees to go with Scott and Doug to Vegas, just to convince Doug to get in the car with Scott, a person new to Doug's very sheltered life. Doug takes off with Scott and Stephanie, (violating his mothers' rules), and does not look back as this new and huge adventure unrolls. The film focus's on just these three people and it gives plenty of time for their personalities to be fleshed out and we are given the chance to see how their lives inter-act in a shared experience. I strongly recommend this tale to anyone who has ever been bold enough to "color outside the lines", or jump from an aircraft into the dark, by parachute.

E Dove AbyssinyawiJun 14, 2025

This is the stuff Hollywood was "made for" and is loved for. Even if this is rather an independent film, it has everything a big movie should have: truth, warmth/heart, a somewhat uplifting message, great characters. Yes, there are a lot of cliches (spoiler alert: the road trip, the scene with the prostitute - I know why it is there, but I could have done without it), but it is so wonderfully done and acted and it is courageous and on point in adressing and portraying how easy/common it is to take on prejudices/discriminations against one's own features and even use them in one's favor (kind of like a secondary gain). The important thing is to realize that you do that and address it. I thought all actors where great and I especially loved seeing Daphne Zuniga again, but I must admit I wouldn't have taken notice of the movie if it wasn't for the amazing, talented, cute RJ Mitte - he is a real gem and I would love to see more of him - shining a light on his talent and charisma is one of the many great things that Breaking Bad brought forth, thanks for that! I am not too happy about the ending (spoiler alert) - well, the conclusion is positive, but the sad thing before the conclusion feels too negative for the otherwise not too heavy-toned movie, and it calls forth once again the critics who emphasize the abundance of clichés - I am not a fan of clichés myself, but again: very rarely a movie nowadays can really provide 100 percent originality and as long as the clichés are presented in such a likeable, smart, brave way, I am fine with it (often they are hateful, and that's where I draw the line, no one needs negative, political clichés). Not every movie does have to reinvent the wheel, a well-done, working wheel after a well-known blueprint, not harming anybody but enjoying and enlighting the viewers, is a great thing. Thumbs up!

ستار سعد-SattarSaadJun 14, 2025

Y'all are being way too hard on this movie my bf and i kissed during the scary parts and i screamed during da pivotal momento. Ray william johsnon and walter jr did great.

MïäïJun 14, 2025

This is really a heart touching drama ... the most sad scene is when Doug and Stephanie loses their best friend Scott in an accident .... this is an excellent drama ... mostly the heart touching .... Love this ... ;) The way it started and the way it ended ... i really enjoyed this drama ... it is really a nice story . When i was watching it , i am literally about to cry , the way it feels like it is real and it is happening right now with you ... and the second sad scene is when Scott loses his best friend whose is admitted in hospital with something happens to his lungs , and Scott was crying ... feels like Kevin is a part of a family ... That is totally totally heart touching drama ... I wish that this will never happens in anyone lives in real .. Because it is really Sad story ... Love This ... Keep it up ;)

Eliza GiovanniJun 14, 2025

Sometimes there are movies I can't tell whether it was a good or bad film. On the one hand "Who's Driving Doug" is a unique film with an original life situation as starting point. On the other hand, the cliché elements of a coming-of-age road movie are fully utilized. Doug is a wheelchair-bound, muscle disease patient who for once in his lifetime wants to put aside restrictions and fulfill a life wish. And that wish is a trip to Las Vegas. At times it's a poignant life sketch about someone who most of all wishes to be accepted the way he is and not being regarded as someone from another planet. The fact that RJ Mitte (Doug) himself was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at an early age and Michael Carnick (the screenwriter) has a physical disability and goes through life in a wheelchair, ensures the part of Daug is certainly realistic enough. Doug's life takes a strange turn when his personal chauffeur lets him down. He's forced to look for another driver. This turns out to be Scott (Ray William Johnson). He's a carefree nobody, who just was denied by Doug's faculty, and takes life as it comes. Similarly, the opportunity to be the new chauffeur of Doug. After a while it appears that Scott has to leave to Las Vegas because of some family problems and he's able to convince Doug to go with him and fulfill his wish. Doug makes a compromise with his overprotective mother (Daphne Zuniga) so he can go on this adventure. This compromise includes his schoolfriend Stephanie (Paloma Kwiatkowski), he secretly is in love with, who joins them as a kind of chaperon. They start the trip as strangers, start to know each other better during the trip and create a comradely bond. Including a more intimate bond, which in turn creates additional problems. "Who's Driving Doug" has some pretty funny moments (like Doug's reaction on some written material of one of his classmates) and some touching moments. Personally I didn't think it fell as if the latter events were used to arouse pity or to show how unjust society can be sometimes in regard to disabled persons. I can imagine they experience situations like that in the roadhouse. And despite the predictable list of "things to do when you take a disabled person to Las Vegas" was carried out in a disciplined way, it still continued to fascinate. Thus Doug experiences for the first time alcohol, drugs, sex and gambling during the trip (a quick comparison with "Rain man" is made). This creates funny and touching impressions. Where did it go wrong? In contrast to the impressive acting performances of Mitte, Ray William Johnson wasn't always convincing and Kwiatkowski was mostly downright irritating. Zuniga played her part exquisitely (I certainly wouldn't describe it as a healthy mental state), but it was a bit exaggerated after a while. The love triangle was for me a bit too artificial and during these moments the interactions were of a pitifully low level. The denouement and revelation was rather abrupt. As abrupt as Scott's ultimate destiny. And although they tried to avoid melodramatic and pathetic elements, nevertheless they couldn't resist to end up with an overly emotional monologue. "Who's Driving Doug" is an emotional film, filled with humor and tragedy. It transcends the average thanks to the excellent acting of Mitte. More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT

Sal Ma Tu Iddrisu🇬🇭Jun 14, 2025

I was not expecting to like this film. The summary sounded like any other coming of age story, only a low-budget indie one. Wow, was I surprised. This one was really outside the box, emotionally connected, quite funny, very entertaining and not necessarily all about the coming of age thing (sorry for being vague, don't want to spoil it). The story was probably the best part as stories based in the real life of the writer often are. The acting was quite strong. RJ Mitte nailed the lead role, Paloma Kwiatkowski was mesmerizing to watch, and Ray William Johnson turned in a powerful and emotional performance to round out this thoroughly tasty trio of performances. And, the budget wasn't quite as small as I'd expected. This film looks good, sounds good, and is good. If you're looking for something compelling, heartwarming, and different, this is it. Hello Netflix people: you should pick this one up. It's something special. (And, I say that as someone who does not know anyone affiliated with the making of this film. Your subscribers need more fresh, unique, new content and it would be hard to imagine them not liking this one).

AnthonyJun 14, 2025

With this you know how it's starting and where it'll wind up going, without surprises or deeper exploration. The characters go by profiled expectations as the story somewhat evolves for the protagonist, so I didn't find the ensemble engaging. The mother especially is a Lifetime sketch waiting in line for casting. Mitte is good; we've seen him in the great series "Breaking Bad" (2008), so he should get better parts where he's not just the kid with Palsy who needs crutches or a wheelchair. This take simply revolves around that handicap right from the title, not shifting the story in any interesting or creative direction. Even the ending seems to cut short, since an applause should be heard, no matter how cliché the scene is.

Ħ₳ⲘɆӾJun 14, 2025

I wish the character traits as well as most of the plot wasn't so predictable, but even that didn't stop me from appreciating this drama. I don't think it should have ended like that, it seems they were trying to make it as sad as possible when it could have made it's point and end positively. Some of the acting and scenes were way out of place and odd, but most of it was great. Ray and RJ were really good, as well as the mother character, though the slow pace, too many driving street shots and shallow storyline were dragging the overall experience a bit down. However I think it's great for what it is. I don't like dramas, but I gave it a shot because I respect RWJ, and for a budget indie film - this is probably the best you can get. The overall editing and sound were top notch, beating many big-budget road trip movies by a long shot. Dive in with expectations of some cliché elements, but if you're into dramatic movies, you should be able to enjoy this one. I'm hoping Ray would go with a comedy or something more refreshing next time. I'm sure he wanted to try something new, after years of being a comedian and launching people who used him to gain their own audiences, which is why I want him to succeed - he deserves it for creating something from nothing and even launching other people (girlfriends) who didn't deserve it, but he'll be best in a comedy. However, again, if you enjoy simple dramas and won't be too nit-picky about it, this is a great film for you.