“Ezra” Review | The Best Ezra Working Today
Sometimes, a light-hearted road trip drama is what we need in our lives. Nothing too complicated, nothing overly weighty: just a sweet little movie that does what it needs to do in the process. Ezra, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival last year and is now getting a wide theatrical release, fits this description to a tea. Though it isn’t anything awfully special and has it’s own crop of flaws, this portrait of what it’s like to be the parent of an autistic child presents a respectful, nuanced depiction of a neurodivergent individual (something that’s woefully rare in Hollywood) set within a funny, yet equally heartbreaking family drama.
Max Brendel might be a talented stand-up comedian, but his life behind the curtains is anything but a comedy. Though he loves his autistic son Ezra more than anything in the world, he struggles to forge a life for himself after a rough divorce with his ex-wife, Jenna, living with his father since he has nowhere else to go beyond that. After an accident involving Ezra which prompts the authorities to recommend medication, a special school, and a restraining order on Max, the father decides to take Ezra on a cross-country road trip where they grow closer to each other and the world outside of their Boston home.
The performances go a long way in elevating the material, with every actor bringing…
