No chick flick, 'Riding in Cars With Boys' proves moving

Julien R. Fielding

"One bad move can turn your world upside down. It's such a shame, 'cause you've been so good up 'till now." - Lyle Lovett.

You don't have to tell that to Beverly D'Onofrio. She's lived that song. At 15, with a promising academic and writing career ahead, she got pregnant by Raymond, a well-meaning, high school dropout. The year was 1968.

With no other acceptable option, she got married, had the baby and watched her dreams drift further from her grasp. But even though she encountered obstacles aplenty, a drug-addicted spouse, a failed marriage and poverty, she came through OK. She eventually landed a publishing deal and now finds her memoirs, "Riding in Cars With Boys," adapted as a feature film.

With Drew Barrymore in the lead and Penny Marshall at the helm, no less.

Although the trailers want you to believe "Riding" is a family comedy, more often than not it's a sobering look at all that can go wrong in a person's life.

So, keep the tissues handy. Weepy ones will require them.

One of the most telling moments in the film occurs at Beverly's wedding reception.

Sitting in her lace-decorated chair, the newlywed tells her best friend Fay (Brittany Murphy) that no one is talking to her or asking her to dance. Then Beverly's father (James Woods) stands up to give his speech. Surely, he'll say what a beautiful bride she is or how important this day is. But no, instead, he thanks all the guests for coming despite the unfortunate circumstances. Now I know who my true friends are, he says, then sits back down.

That's harsh.

The film, adapted by Morgan Ward and D'Onofrio, does have some humorous moments, many of which have to do with child-birthing or childrearing. The Arens brothers, who play Beverly's son, Jason, at 1, 3 and 6, are absolutely kissable. As is Patrick Salerno who plays the character at 2. Even the most vehement child hater couldn't resist these tots' charms.

While this performance probably is Barrymore's best to date, the decision to let her play a character that ages 15 to 35 was faulty.

With her bubbly, goofy personality, she's believable as a teen. But when she gets into her 30s, about a decade older than she actually is, she can't pull it off. No wrinkles, no worry lines. So, when she gets into the car next to her 20-year-old son (Adam Garcia), we don't immediately get the connection - Who is this, her boyfriend? - because he looks older than she does. (And he is by two years.)

Thick makeup and a pole-up-the-backside personality doesn't make a person appear older, sorry.

I'm not knocking Barrymore. She worked hard on this character and it shows. But unfortunately, despite her infectious personality and invisible rainbow halo, she frequently gets upstaged by her costars.

Steve Zahn, who plays Raymond, crafts a character we should hate into one we feel compassion toward.

Because he seems so misdirected, nothing really seems to be his fault. Even when we learn he's drained the family's fortunes for his heroin addiction, he seems more pathetic than blameworthy. Zahn is so exceptional that it's almost a shame Barrymore has to share the screen with him. Witness the scene where the actress forces Zahn to leave their home. We believe he truly loves and needs their child. It's so heartbreaking that Barrymore seems like a villain.

Murphy, too, who got a bum deal with "Don't Look Now," outperforms Barrymore. As the thicker-than-water friend, she puts all that emotional energy to good use. Consider the scene in which Murphy gives her own wedding-reception speech, admitting that she too is pregnant. Murphy makes this moment funny and tragically sad. If the young actress gets more scripts like this, her career only can get bigger.

And finally, last seen as the love interest in "Coyote Ugly," Garcia conveys a special warmth when he's reunited with his father again. You almost can see the jumping-up-and-down child inside his eyes.

Marshall, who does best with stories about families, makes her best film since "Big."

In fact, the sequence where a young Beverly (Mika Boorem) and her father (Woods) drive through town in his police car reminds me of the ending of the Tom Hanks vehicle. And Lorraine Bracco, who plays Bev's mom, has shades of Mercedes Ruehl. Both are earthy, protective, strong personality-possessing women of New York City.

"Riding in Cars With Boys" is a moving story with a human touch that, unlike so many films like this, never descends into contrivance. And despite protestations, it isn't a chick-flick.

My dad, a tough nut to crack, enjoyed it as much as I did. If you've ever been in a family or you've ever had problems, you can appreciate "Riding With Boys." It's certainly worthwhile cinema.

No chick flick, 'Riding in Cars With Boys' proves moving was originally published in Daily Nonpareil on 25 October, 2001. © Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil LLC