Riding in Cars with Boys Movie Review 2001

Based on the memoir of Beverly Donofrio, the plot follows Beverly (Barrymore) from 1965, when she becomes pregnant at age 15, to 1986, when her son has grown up and she has completed her book. The story is more concerned with the way parents treat their children, however, and Beverly doesn't emerge as the spunky super-mom who prevailed despite the odds. Instead she comes off as a whiner who blames her loser husband Ray (Zahn) for getting her pregnant, her own parents (Woods and Bracco) for not talking to her, and even her son Jason (Garcia) for merely being around. Barrymore gives a good performance, but Zahn outdoes her by breaking his "goofy guy" typecast and adding texture to the woeful Ray.

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 132 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Pregnant Pauses, Bad Dads, Drug Use & Abuse, Wedding Hell, True Stories, Period Piece: 1960s, Period Piece: 1970s, Period Piece: 1980s, Parenthood, Family Drama

Screenplay

Morgan Ward

Cast

Drew Barrymore, Steve Zahn, Brittany Murphy, Adam Garcia, Lorraine Bracco, James Woods, Sara Gilbert, Desmond Harrington, David Moscow, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Facinelli, Marisa Ryan, Mika Boorem, Skye McCole Bartusiak, Logan Lerman

Cinematography

Miroslav Ondricek

Director

Penny Marshall

Music

Hans Zimmer

Other

T.J. O'Mara, Lawrence Jordan, Richard Marks, Teresa Carriker-Thayer, Cynthia Flynt, Bill Groom

Producer

James L. Brooks, Julie Ansell, Richard Sadai, Gracie Films, Columbia Pictures