Ezra

Sometimes people think I'm a fool for not answering them, but I do respond internally, often with quotes from my favorite books and movies... just like Ezra.

Ezra is a film that beautifully weaves together the story of three generations of autism within a single family. It's brought to life by the masterful direction of Tony Goldwyn, whose talent never fails to impress me, and written by Tony Spiridakis, who is himself a parent of an autistic child.

Tony Goldwyn has assembled an incredible cast. It was heartwarming to see him reunite with Whoopi Goldberg after "Ghost," along with the brilliant Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson, and the always-reliable Robert De Niro in supporting roles.

But the true magic of the film lies in the performances of Bobby Cannavale, who proves what a remarkable actor he can be when given the chance, his real-life partner Rose Byrne, and the astonishing William Fitzgerald.

Director Tony Goldwyn insisted on casting an autistic actor to play Ezra, which was no easy feat, as Hollywood tends to shy away from decisions that increase legal liability. The film's co-producer, Alex Plank, is also on the autism spectrum. The goal was not only to make an authentic film but also to create an accessible film set for neurodivergent actors and crew members. Under Plank's guidance, everyone on set participated in autism training sessions throughout the production.

The film's cinematography, handled by Daniel Moder, is a visual treat with its story-driven use of color and camera work.

Unlike the usual (and frankly offensive/misleading) autism-centric films, "Ezra" takes a more accurate path, embracing neurodiversity, and has deepened my respect for Tony Goldwyn. The film avoids the common tropes and stereotypes associated with autism, instead offering a nuanced and authentic portrayal of the challenges and joys of living with autism. It celebrates the unique strengths and perspectives of neurodivergent individuals, while also acknowledging the difficulties they face in a world that often misunderstands and stigmatizes them.

In conclusion, "Ezra" is a heartwarming and thought-provoking film that sheds light on the complexities of autism with sensitivity and compassion. It is a must-see for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of neurodiversity and the importance of acceptance and inclusion.

I had the feeling that somewhere, in the process of the movie, I am seeing another version of Rain Man. It has some plot lines and a one of the main characters has autism, but this movie only can be flattered for being compared in any way to the timeless masterpiece and exciting movie with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise.

Ezra is a kid that has autism and while he is trying to live his life as a regular kid, his divorced parents are investing a lot of work to make everything tick well for their son. They try to keep him in a regular school but Ezra and his environment are having troubles to mash-up with each other.

His father - Max is a stand-up comedy dude, who live with his father. They both have unsolved issues between themselves and their past, but this subject is touched microscopely, in order to give some background for both of their statuses. The mother is dating another guy and Ezra is living with her, but someday the plot thickens, due to a McGuffin, within one of the scenes and throws away Max and Ezra to a strange and short road trip.

During this trip Max is learning a lot of his son and on himself, while other characters evolves a little bit more, in an instant plot catalysator moves. This is too short of a movie to get the characters to get arced well, but surprisingly they manage to stay interesting, compelling and very emotional and heartwarming.

Underrated Bobby Cannavale is making one of his best performances, while running around and getting crazy, like his character should react to all plot scenarios. Rose Byrne is great, as usual, but not very noticeable and Bobby De-Niro is fabulous as he is being expected of. Great chemistry between all the characters and also from young William A. Fitzgerald, that plays Ezra.

Tony Goldwyn is making a great work for not loosing his audience to over drama, by taking a large part for the comedy in this movie - letting his viewers to feel authentic and still get excited from the small and captivating moments, that the audience should get excited from. A small, heartwarming and uplifting movie.

I was pleasantly surprised to find actual comedians here. I actually watch Emma Willmann's stuff, and it seems like she even wrote her own material here. The movie convincingly portrays its themes, highlighting the struggles of parenting, especially in the context of divorce and a child with mental health issues. We also see the valid reasons behind the parents' disagreements. They both wanted what was best.

The film exceeded my expectations. The conflicts felt realistic, and the acting was good, particularly from William A. Fitzgerald in his first movie role. He was so good that I hope he doesn't get typecast like the dude from The Good Doctor. Overall, the cast did well. Robert De Niro's introduction was funny, and he had some great moments. He's excellent at playing father roles, as I noticed in Silver Linings Playbook.

The humor was well-balanced, with the best laughs coming from moments outside the stand-up comedy bits. I'm glad the movie didn't overdo the jokes, even though one of the main characters is a comedian. It balances out with the dramatic moments without overshadowing them.

While the movie didn't leave a lasting impact, I still think it's worth watching. It was a pleasant surprise since I expected it to be overly sentimental, but it turned out much better. One of the cool things about mystery movie screenings is discovering unexpectedly good films, even if they're not ones I was eagerly anticipating. I'm a bit conflicted about giving it 3 or 3½ stars.

I'm a fan of sweet, simple stories with memorable characters and I found all of that in Ezra. Bobby Cannavale turns in a magnificent performance in the role of Max, a struggling standup comic co-parenting his autistic 11-year-old son Ezra with his ex-wife Jenna played by the always fabulous Rose Byrne. When Ezra's outbursts spin out of control at school, a doctor suggests putting him on a special medication. Jenna is receptive to the idea, but Max is having none of it and flees with Ezra, taking him on a cross-country road trip with hopes of appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live. It's a trip that proves life-changing for both Max and Ezra.

Well done, well scripted movie that tugs at the heart strings. The IMDB current synopsis (09/09) is totally off. In a cast of heavy hitters, the novice kid playing Ezra steals the show. The script is inspired by a true story, sometimes poignant, sometimes heavy handed, with well timed and well delivered levity. Casting was great with a few surprises, including Whoopi Goldberg, Rainn Wilson and Vera Farmiga, who played smaller but important roles to the story. Tony Goldwyn directed and was in the movie, which was written by his life long friend. It's the story of an autistic child, family struggle, divorced parents, understanding the past, vulnerability and a bit of redemption along the way.