To me, this movie is perfection.

As Good As It Gets

Admirable film.

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

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

'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

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.

This film was released sometime in 2001 but I only came across it two years ago. My guess is that this film probably didn't receive as much advertising as it deserved.My first impression of the film was that it was a chick flick, but that didn't really matter because I have found some chick flicks actually amusing (for example: P.S. I Love You). Besides that, the story follows Beverly Donofrio who, as a child, knew exactly what she wanted to do in her future until an unexpected pregnancy at the age of 15 put her life in a hault.Drew Barrymore really is a talented actress. She is probably the most charming and easiest-to-relate-to actress in today's Hollywood. There's something about her upbeat and charismatic personality that made her so easy to love in this movie. She truly made this movie a hit and I don't think anyone could have played the role of Beverly Donofrio like she did. What impressed me the most was how she carried this movie on her own throughout and I haven't seen many actresses achieve that recognition (most notable is probably Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich). Also, Brittany Murphy was a great addition to the cast and the chemistry between Barrymore and Murphy was brilliant.The story itself is depressing and happy. It's really hard to explain. I couldn't decide whether or not it was a good thing she got pregnant at such a young age or it was a complete mistake that ruined her whole entire life. I guess it's something you would have to guess on your own while wathcing it. I liked how the film showed Beverly grow from a young confident girl to a more mature and confused individual.I personally enjoyed this film but I'm not sure how other guys would feel watching. It is a touching film that really gets sad at certain points.My Rating: 6/10 Watch It or Miss It: WATCH IT!