Surprisingly incoherent and boring

People are voting emotionally.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

'Riding in Cars with Boys' is a rather heavy movie. It quite possibly goes through the entire spectrum of human emotion in the two hours you're sitting there watching it. It does a marvelous job of tiring you out; of making you feel exactly what the on screen character is feeling. But this film is far from perfect.The biggest problem here is that you're a little unsure of who the movie is about. Is it about the son's resentment of his mother? Is it about the mother's anger towards her son, her father, herself? Is it about this once daddy's girl's fall from grace and how she not only had to make a living for herself and her son but also had to try to win back her father's love which she once had in spades? The movie tackles so many emotions that radiate from so many different characters that it's hard to keep straight who the main one is in the moment.However annoying this problem is it in no way detracts from the enjoyment of the story being told though. You will either find yourself rooting for Barrymore (who showed such range and empathy in this role, proving herself to be more that the Rom-Com queen we know her to be) to achieve the life she wants or you will side with her son who thinks that she did a poor job of mothering him.This movie shows us that life can be brutal and unfair. It can be upsetting and demanding. But it also tells us that life is worth living, and if done right nothing can stand in the way of you and your dreams. This movie is underrated (Possibly rightly) but is a gem nonetheless. 6.4/10

Based on the autobiography of the same name by Beverly Donofrio, Penny Marshall Directed 'Riding in Cars with Boys' is A Decent Attempt, that comes in-tact with some charming moments & terrific performances.'Riding in Cars with Boys' Synopsis: A single mother, with dreams of becoming a writer, has a son at the age of 15 in 1965, and goes through a failed marriage with the drug-addicted father.'Riding in Cars with Boys' explores Beverly Donofrio's Journey from 1961 to 1986. And I must say, the handling of this autobiography, has been done with care & earnestness. Sure, some moments don't leave any impact, but overall, this film does deliver some very charming moments that stay with you.Morgan Ward's Adpated Screenplay is good, all though some sequences, especially in the second-hour, lack the fizz. Penny Marshall's Direction is wonderful. Cinematography by Miroslav Ondrícek is picture perfect. Editing is average. Art Design is fine.Performance-Wise: Drew Barrymore as Beverly Donofrio, is fantastic. This performance has to be among her finest to date. Steve Zahn as the drug-addicted husband, is so natural & believable. James Woods & Lorraine Bracco as Mr & Mrs Donofrio, are fabulous. The Late Brittany Murphy supports very well as Beverly's best friend. Adam Garcia is superb as Beverly's grown up son. Maggie Gyllenhaal appears in a tiny cameo.On the whole, 'Riding in Cars with Boys' is A Decent Attempt.

This could have been written about my mother and me...we watched this together..and just kept looking at each other. It seemed as though we were watching a re-enactment of our life story. And just like Beverly in the movie..she didn't get it either...my mother seems to think it's all about her...her life that was screwed up. We lived in the same hell holes...had the same doped out hippies hanging around. My father wasn't on drugs..but was a severe abusive alcoholic. My mother was smart..and wound up pregnant by a loser. I am a grown man of 42 now...and watching this brings back a flood of memory's...and it's really hard to not tear up...especially the scene in which Jason meets his father at the age of 20. I too experienced this..only to see a man who was once a James Dean look alike,,now a broken down alcoholic...with nothing to show for his life

I watched this movie last night, expecting to watch an empowering movie about a strong woman. What I got was a story about an overbearing, rigid mom who makes stupid decisions and winds up in bad situations, but her predicaments are her own fault, despite a pesky conscience and caring parents. She even tells her son (not once but several times, mind you) that he ruined her life- nice parenting! Penny Marshall could have done a better job with the way she portrayed Beverly D'Onofrio (played by Drew Barrymore).What a disappointment! Not one person dies in this movie, which says a lot about how depressing this movie really is because I didn't think that a movie without a body count could be so depressing. This was neither uplifting nor empowering.On the plus side, the acting was really good. Even Lorraine Bracco, who plays D'Onofrio's mother, was good in this film, and I usually can't stand her. But even the brilliant performances by the actors couldn't save this film.