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 Movie
Reviews
with Evelyn Gough.
Riding In Cars With Boys (M)
Directed by Penny Marshall
 Beverly Donofrio (Drew Barrymore) and husband Ray (Steve Zahn) take a first look at their new baby boy – and their reactions speak for themselves.
Having a bad day? A bad week? A bad life? Go see Riding In Cars With Boys and suddenly your life won't seem so dismal after all.
That's because Beverly Donofrio's (Drew Barrymore) life goes from one disaster to another, with a few good times in between in this biographical adaptation.
At the age of 15 and showing great academic potential, Bev breaks her father's (James Wood, in a rare subdued performance) heart by becoming pregnant. It's 1965, in small town America and Beverly has little choice but to kiss her dreams of college and a career goodbye. Stuck with a deadbeat, drug addict husband (a fabulous Steve Zahn) and a son she never wanted, she still refuses to give up her aspirations of becoming a writer.
In a very different role for her, Drew Barrymore is utterly believable as Bev. Don't be fooled by the trailer. Riding In Cars With Boys is no thighslapper – it's a serious drama and to be blunt, Beverly isn't a very likeable character. But it's still a very engrossing journey – pity about the roadkill along the way (namely her son Jason, who is probably still having therapy).
Notable among the cast, besides the two main stars who are both excellent, are Brittany Murphy (Don't Say A Word) as her best friend Fay, and the three extremely talented child actors who play Jason in his various stages of development.
Riding in cars is dangerous. Look at the road toll. Riding In Cars With Boys is apparently equally risky and just as likely to stuff up your young life.
I found the film a bit of a downer, but as an advocate for birth control and legalised abortion, it's a winner.
Rating: 2 ½ stars
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