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A film which
begins brightly but then outstays its welcome.
Nigel
Bell
Give credit to Drew Barrymore. She's made the transition from ET
child star to serious actor via real life drug problems and all
action movies like Charlie's
Angels.
Riding In
Cars With Boys is her most demanding acting role yet and she
almost pulls it off.
Almost, because
she doesn't yet have the life experiences to play the mother of
an 18-year-old son, played by Garcia who is actually older than
Barrymore.
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| Is everybody
happy? |
Based on Beverly
D'Onofrio's autobiography, the film begins in the 60s and it's almost
a return to American Graffiti, with period clothes and plenty
of period music.
Bev is sweet
15 when she takes a ride in a car with a boy and ends up pregnant.
Reluctantly
she gives up her plans for a college writing career and marries.
Dad James Woods is less than impressed.
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| Doesn't
she look beautiful and, by the way, I'm pregnant too! |
Wedding guests
virtually ignore her until her best friend (Murphy) tells them all
off and promptly announces she's pregnant as well.
Bev's husband
is Ray, played by Zahn, who easily takes the acting honours as a
not too bright, easy going fella who all too soon becomes hooked
on heroin as the action switches to the 70s.
What makes Riding
With Boys In Cars less dramatic is the decision to film it in
flashback.
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| And when
I grow up mummy, I want to star in a science fiction film just
like you |
Having begun
in the 60s we suddenly come up to date with Bev and grown up son
taking a drive in another car in the hope of firming up a publishing
deal for the story of her life.
So immediately
you know she's had some success despite difficult years.
In a sense this
revelation destroys much of the film's impact.
Indeed by the
end, Bev has been such a pain to so many people, that despite all
her hardships you actually don't feel for Barrymore's character.
At more than
two hours the film fails to hold you. But if you tire of the usual
dose of Harry Potter
and Lord of the Rings you might want to chance it if only
to take a trip down memory lane.
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