bnorthup
11-13-2001, 03:00 AM
Riding in Cars with Boys (PG-13)
At the Gaslight
Three Stars
Review by Brent Northup
I learn a lot watching movies with Katherine. She sees the sweetness where I see the cliché. She sees the message of hope where I see Hollywood out to make a buck. She’s young and full of hope. And I’m going to stop right here before I get depressed.
“Riding In Car with Boys” touched both dad and daughter. I found it refreshingly honest. It deals with teen pregnancy without adding syrup or mustard – and the characters are disarming, ordinary folks. The main problem is jumpy storytelling, but Penny Marshall’s sweet tale eventually settles down and ends nicely.
Drew Barrymore is a star who seems not have have sold her soul. She's believable as the teen who makes a huge mistake and scrambles to rebuild her life.
Barrymore is less effective as the older mom, twenty years later. She just doesn't look or act old enough in the last scenes.
But the story is worth telling, and Barrymore brings it alive. In an age when Hollywood pushes almost all simple stories over the top, this one seems to understand that less is more.
Bury the books for a few hours and enjoy this one before it leaves town.
END
At the Gaslight
Three Stars
Review by Brent Northup
I learn a lot watching movies with Katherine. She sees the sweetness where I see the cliché. She sees the message of hope where I see Hollywood out to make a buck. She’s young and full of hope. And I’m going to stop right here before I get depressed.
“Riding In Car with Boys” touched both dad and daughter. I found it refreshingly honest. It deals with teen pregnancy without adding syrup or mustard – and the characters are disarming, ordinary folks. The main problem is jumpy storytelling, but Penny Marshall’s sweet tale eventually settles down and ends nicely.
Drew Barrymore is a star who seems not have have sold her soul. She's believable as the teen who makes a huge mistake and scrambles to rebuild her life.
Barrymore is less effective as the older mom, twenty years later. She just doesn't look or act old enough in the last scenes.
But the story is worth telling, and Barrymore brings it alive. In an age when Hollywood pushes almost all simple stories over the top, this one seems to understand that less is more.
Bury the books for a few hours and enjoy this one before it leaves town.
END