This High-Octane Teen Comedy Launched an Iconic ‘80s Duo

This High-Octane Teen Comedy Launched an Iconic ‘80s Duo Corey Haim and Heather Graham as Les and Mercedes in License to Drive.Image via 20th Century Fox By  André Joseph Published 26 minutes ago André Joseph is a movie features writer at Collider. Born and raised in New York City, he graduated from Emerson College with a Bachelor's Degree in Film. He freelances as an independent filmmaker, teacher, and blogger of all things pop culture. His interests include Marvel, Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Robocop, wrestling, and many other movies and TV shows. His accomplishments as a filmmaker include directing the indie movie Vendetta Games now playing on Tubi, the G.I. Joe fan film "The Rise of Cobra" on YouTube, and receiving numerous accolades for his dramatic short film Dismissal Time. More information can be found about André on his official website. Sign in to your Collider account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

When it comes to the teen movies of the ‘80s, no filmmaker shaped up the era better than John Hughes. From Sixteen Candles to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, his middle-of-the-road tales of teenagers dealing with adolescence, seeking first love, or embracing that once-in-a-lifetime moment of being young and free spawned countless imitators that never measured up to his creative genius. But one of those Hughes-inspired films had just enough DNA to charm audiences with the same relatable situations that teens experience: 1988’s License to Drive.

Part buddy movie and part romantic comedy, the simple tale of one teen’s date night gone horribly wrong from director Greg Beeman (Jag, Smallville, Heroes) features every aspect of the genre that Hughes helped to inspire with its boyhood fantasy sequences and endless mischief. It marked the second collaboration of teen idols Corey Feldman and the late Corey Haim, fresh off the success of 1987’s The Lost Boys, as they are joined by an up-and-coming Heather Graham (Boogie Nights, Bowfinger) as Haim’s dreamgirl. Though modestly successful at the box office, License to Drive was looked down upon by critics, holding a rotten 24% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the film’s popularity on video and cable in the years that followed not only made it one of the last definitive teen comedies of the decade but was also the true catalyst for a phenomenon appropriately known as the “Two Coreys”.

What Is 'License to Drive' About?

California high school kid Les Anderson (Haim) has three ambitions in life: to pass a driver’s ED test, get a BMW, and win over his crush, Mercedes Lane (Graham). The first goal proves challenging when his computerized question-and-answer part of the exam suffers a computer malfunction, as well as dealing with an uptight road test instructor (James Avery). Just when Les thinks he aced the latter part, the reprogrammed computer where the exam was conducted reveals that he flunked the knowledge section, denying him his license. Making matters worse is when Les' parents (Richard Masur and Carol Kane) ground him after lying about passing the test.

Desperate to fulfill plans for a date with Mercedes, Les steals his grandfather’s Cadillac Sedan de Ville without his parents’ knowledge. Plans go south, however, when Mercedes gets intoxicated at a party and causes damage to the hood of the Cadillac. Les turns to his best pals Dean (Feldman) and third wheel Charles (Michael Manasseri) to help him through his predicament. But their joyride around SoCal quickly becomes full-blown chaos at every turn.

While License to Drive contains that quest for adventure outside suburbia similar to Ferris Bueller, the stakes and complications are portrayed like a high-brow version of Tom Cruise’s breakout hit, Risky Business. Where Matthew Broderick’s iconic teenager had a Bugs Bunny-esque quality in every situation, Haim’s Les only fantasizes about being such a personality, as evidenced by the action-packed fantasy opening where he rides in a red Ferrari with Mercedes. From that point on, Les is the straight man in a world full of overly strict parents, absurd authority figures, and a date night disaster that echoes another popular comedy of the day, Blind Date. Beeman’s direction with the humor attempts to replicate Hughes’s heightened reality in which something as mundane as getting a driver’s license is literally life or death for Les because it means earning self-confidence. License to Drive taps into that notion of freedom that teens feel once the car keys are in hand, even if trouble lies ahead.

How ‘License to Drive’ Immortalized the Two Coreys

Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, and Heather Graham as Les, Dean, and Mercedes in License to Drive.Image via 20th Century Fox

License to Drive provides a particular snapshot of teen life in the ‘80s that played a role in inspiring shows such as Stranger Things and The Goldbergs. There’s plenty of pop music of the day from artists such as Pebbles, New Edition, and Billy Ocean, to name a few. Boxes checked for colorful fashion, big hair, neon-lit diners, and plenty of carefree fun of the time. But the film’s biggest cultural landmark is the pairing of Haim and Feldman.

Even though the phenomenon began with The Lost Boys, with Haim seeking the help of the Rambo wannabe Feldman and his brother to fight vampires, License to Drive showcased their magic as a dynamic duo. Haim’s overly anxious, high-strung dreamer is counterbalanced by Feldman’s street-smart attitude reminiscent of the sarcastic Mouth in The Goonies. They were not just two good-looking young guys for teenage girls to buy posters of. Their chemistry had a Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis type of dynamic recreated with MTV-influenced fashion and hairstyles. Despite some bumps in the road for their respective personal lives, Haim and Feldman would make a string of comedies together into the ‘90s, as well as a popular reality show on A&E. Yet, License to Drive remains a memorable collaboration where teen rebellion and puppy love come together in a charming but hilarious way.

License to Drive is streaming on Prime Video in the US.

PG-13 Comedy Family Release Date July 6, 1988 Runtime 88 minutes Director Greg Beeman Writers Neil Tolkin

Cast

• Corey Haim
• Corey Feldman
• Carol Kane
• Richard Masur

Genres Comedy, Family Powered by Expand Collapse

• Movie Features
• Corey Feldman
• Heather Graham

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