Too much of everything

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Movies like these and dramas in general always seem better when they're based on true stories like this film is, even if it was heavily retouched by the screenwriters. Beverly's story is interesting, touching, and best of all realistic. It's easy to take material like this and turn it into a melodrama, but this film is well made. It's difficult to take sides - Beverly blames her son for ruining her life, her son never asked to be born into those circumstances or to be her son at all, Ray is an irresponsible drug-addict even though he is a kind man, and Bev's father wants nothing to do with her once he discovered she was pregnant, even going so far as to arrest her for marijuana possession when her son was a few years old. The movie tells the story of a strong woman who did everything she could to raise her son and get the two of them a better life away from everything that went wrong in her life. She loves him so much that in the end she even allows him to throw away his education at NYU to be with the woman he loves in Indiana, who coincidentally is the daughter of her best friend Fay, who she raised Jason with. My favourite scene was probably when Bev, as a 15 year old, tried to throw herself down the stairs to force a miscarriage. I thought it was quite comedic and knew nothing would come of it. My other favourite scene was the very last one when Bev's father picks her up to bring her back home and they sing "All I Have to Do is Dream" together, like they did when she was a child. It was cheesy, but beautiful, I think.

Riding in Cars With Boys (2001): Dir: Penny Marshall / Cast: Drew Barrymore, Steve Zahn, James Woods, Adam Garcia, Brittany Murphy: Convicting film featuring a boy who informs his police officer grandfather that his mother is smoking weed in the kitchen. This leads to a boy, now a man claiming that his presence, at age three crushed her dreams. This occurs when her husband irresponsibly failed to show up to watch him thus costing her a job opportunity. Drew Barrymore stars as a young woman who became pregnant at fifteen due to riding in cars with boys. The father is a drunken doper who claims that he cannot help himself. Story plays via flashbacks with Barrymore at 36 who has written a book about her struggles and seeks publication. Wonderful work by director Penny Marshall whose Big also dealt with the growth theme. Barrymore is excellent as a self absorbed woman viewing life as a tragedy. Tremendous work by Steve Zahn as her ex-husband who admits his faults despite his spiral downfall from responsibility. James Woods as her father steals scenes as he struggles to understand his daughter and eventually simply accepts his role as dad. Adam Garcia plays her son who forms a relationship with his mother's best friend's daughter. Brittany Murphy plays Barrymore's best friend who also announces that she is pregnant. Theme regards bad decisions that affect your future. Score: 10 / 10

The movie is very nice and has a nice story line... Drew Barrymore and Brittany Murphy (RIP) are good and i m reviewing this movie because Brittany Murphy just Died. Thats very sad lets come back to the review...The story is nice, but needed a good director for a emotional and sensitive direction ...Penny Marshall failed to do it (Direction was OK though).I don't think that any body will rate it less than 7....Nice movie with a lot of flaws. but sweet and sad ending.Generous rating 9/10.

I did like this movie.Is not the huge deal, but it has a strong message and it is very poignant; in many parts of the world is pretty usual to find situations like this, a single parent fighting to give a better life for a son.For me is a movie that in like 3 parts of the plot gets boring, but the moment that it ends made me think a lot. I had the chance to be raised by my two parents, but the film make me become aware of the effort of them to give me all I need. (I feel pretty corny writing this)The work of Drew Barrymore is excellent, the character is pretty good designed and real, I am not a fan of Steve Zhan but he did great. I just don't get why the score (6.1) is too slow for this movie.