Driving Miss Daisy: More Than Just a Feel-Good Movie?

Okay, so I just rewatched "Driving Miss Daisy" and I'm wondering if there's more going on than just a sweet story about friendship. Like, we all cry when they're old and she finally admits he's her best friend, right? But think about it -- this is set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights movement, and Hoke (Morgan Freeman, obviously amazing) is navigating a whole world of prejudice that Daisy (Jessica Tandy, equally amazing) is mostly oblivious to, at least at the beginning. My theory is that the movie's subtly about the slow, painful process of Daisy actually 'seeing' Hoke as a person, not just as 'the help.' Remember when she gets lost and Hoke knows exactly where to go because, duh, he's lived there his whole life? Or that scene with the Martin Luther King dinner? Her initial reluctance to go is, well, telling. I think she slowly realizes that she, too, carries some of the ingrained biases of the time, even if she doesn't actively mean to. It's not some preachy, in-your-face thing, which I appreciate. It's more like a gradual unlocking, a realization born out of shared experiences and genuine connection. So, yeah, it's a heartwarming movie about an unlikely friendship, but I think it's also a commentary on how societal change can happen on a personal level, one car ride and one shared piece of pie at a time. Anyone else feel the same, or am I overthinking my afternoon movie choice? Also, did anyone else cry as hard as I did? I need to know I'm not alone. P.S. Anyone know who directed it? I'm too lazy to look it up lol.