Writer and Director Jeremy Brock chose Rupert Grint for the lead role because he felt that he had been underused in the third and fourth installments of the Harry Potter film franchise.
When filming, Rupert Grint was only sixteen, which meant it was illegal for him to drive (the legal age in the U.K. is seventeen), so they had to film his driving scenes on private roads.
Writer and Director Jeremy Brock was reportedly inspired by his own teenage experiences working for Dame Peggy Ashcroft.
During the making of this movie, Rupert Grint had not yet passed his driving test, and so a driving double had to be used for scenes filmed on public roads. Rupert commented that he failed his test during a maneuver, as he forgot to look over his shoulder during the turn in the road.