I greatly anticipated this film based on the trailer and advertising. Having not read the book on which this is based, I had no idea what to expect. First, let me say that the actors, for the most part, were excellent, with Brittany Murphy (Fay) and Steve Zahn (Ray) particular stand-outs. Drew Barrymore is fine in the lead (Beverly), but, unfortunately, she is the main problem with the film. She is supposed to age from 15 to 36 in this film. I could easily buy her in the flashback scenes to her teenage and young mother years, but I just could not buy her as a thirty-six year old mother of a twenty-year old. It was just too distracting; they appeared more like boyfriend and girlfriend and that just nearly ruined the film for me. Drew's acting is fine, but she just doesn't look the part in the latter day scenes. A more mature actress was needed. Still, the movie was entertaining, though a bit too long. Penny Marshall's direction was fine, but she's a long way from "A League Of Their Own" and "Big". I rated this 6/10, mainly for the performances of Murphy, Zahn, Lorraine Bracco and James Woods (as Beverly's parents) and Cody Arens (as the 6-year-old Jason, Bev's son) who were all outstanding.
Review of Riding in Cars with Boys
