With no real interest in the actual movie, I went and saw Riding In Cars With Boys. I hadn’t planned on seeing it, so I can’t say I was disappointed, but it really didn’t impress me much.

Drew Barrymore does a respectable job in this autobiography of Beverly D’Onofrio, a young woman who found herself pregnant in the Sixties. At times she doesn’t seem right for the role, in which she ages from 15 to 36 with apparently nothing more than a hair cut and eyeliner to show for it. But every now and then she seemed to get it just right, and she was a joy to watch.

James Woods and Lorraine Bracco play Barrymore’s parents, and they’re both excellent. Woods especially shows some nice range in the most sympathetic role I’ve ever seen him in.
Brittany Murphy plays Drew’s best friend Fay, and she’s very good as well. I think Brittany is one of the better of the young actresses to emerge from Hollywood lately. I can easily see her carrying a movie as the female lead, whether it be drama, or what seems to be her forte, comedy.
Steve Zahn is also very good in this film, but even though this is the most dramatic role that I remember seeing him in, he still has that sort of laid back slacker attitude about him that he seems to have in every role I’ve seen him play. I mean, I guess there’s nothing wrong with that, but, I dunno, it gets old, doesn’t it?
I guess my biggest problem with Boys Riding in Cars was Adam Garcia. OK, maybe not him or his acting, but maybe his casting opposite Drew Barrymore.
Or maybe her casting opposite him?
I just didn’t buy it.

When the film ended, the first credit that comes on the screen is “Directed by Penny Marshall”. I had forgotten she was the director, and to be honest, I was kind of disappointed…she’s done so much better. Big, Awakenings, and especially A League of Their Own…she’s done some great movies…
Unfortunately, this really isn’t one of them…