New Jersey comedian Max tells stories, not jokes, about ordinary chaos. And there is no better source of chaos in his life than his son, Ezra. Ezra, diagnosed with autism, is precocious and precarious: he has been reading the New York Times since he was five, but his impulsive behavior often gets him into trouble and sometimes even poses a danger to himself and others.
A doctor insists that Ezra be sent to a special school and medicated. Ezra's mother, Jenna, who shares custody with Max, is inclined to go along with the program, but Max is having none of it. One night, Max, who has been promised a spot on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, takes Ezra on a cross-country excursion, without the permission of Jenna or her father, whose car Max has "borrowed."
Director: Tony Goldwyn
Writer: Tony Spiridakis
Stars: Robert De Niro, Vera Farmiga, Tony Goldwyn
There is no shortage of films that address autism to some extent, although few treat it with the sincerity it requires. More recently, Sia's film "Music" faced intense scrutiny for its handling of a character with autism and its general lack of sensitivity. Thanks to director Tony Goldwyn and writer Tony Spiridakis, “Ezra” addresses autism with more heart and authenticity. Born from Spiridakis' own experiences as a parent of an autistic child, the film takes a very real look at the difficulties (and joys) of raising a child on the autism spectrum. While the script takes too many melodramatic turns, there is much to admire in this genuine approach to a family story.
Bobby Cannavale plays Max, a somewhat successful comedian trying to get more into the business. He is also the proud father of Ezra, played by autistic actor William Fitzgerald. Max shares custody of the 11-year-old boy with his mother, Jenna (Rose Byrne), who manage to co-parent quite well despite minor disagreements here and there. However, Max still struggles to let go of Jenna and cries after one-night stands. He also lives with his father Stan (Robert De Niro), who is not ashamed of wanting Max to fix his life.
When Ezra leads a minor revolution in his elementary school classroom (potentially inspired by Max and Ezra's "Breaking Bad" binge the previous weekend), his school threatens to expel him, believing he needs a more specialized education. . To make matters worse, after Ezra runs out of the house and is almost hit by a car, the doctor demands that he take antipsychotic medication, against Max's wishes.
Cannavale has never been better than in “Ezra.” He captures the reality of being a normal father, the frustrations of balancing his career with obligations to his son, and his deep love for Ezra. Parenting is complex and challenging, but Cannavale embodies the love that never goes away, even when things in life get complicated. He and Fitzgerald have great chemistry together. Despite having no prior film experience, Fitzgerald keeps up with Cannavale and the rest of the cast perfectly.
He is hilarious when necessary and shows confident strength when he confronts the adults. Even when he struggles with his autism, such as screaming at any physical contact, Fitzgerald never overplays the role. Ezra, Max and Stan really feel like three generations of the same family. Cannavale even has De Niro's same squint from time to time, which helps the credibility of his casting.
After the doctor's prescription for Ezra, the story begins to veer towards the melodramatic. Struggling to figure out what care Ezra needs and clashing with Jenna over the right decisions, Max loses control and decides to take Ezra on a cross-country road trip, which he conveniently doesn't tell anyone about. In other words, he straight up kidnaps Ezra.
What began as a well-intentioned story about raising a child with special needs takes a sharp right turn and becomes an over-the-top, illogical story about a reckless father. It's not really cute or endearing; rather, it's simply a frustrating story choice that completely changes the experience of enjoying what came before. When new characters appear along the journey, like Max's old friend Grace (Vera Farmiga) and her old comic friend Nick (Rainn Wilson), they're now just aiding and abetting a fugitive, which is absurd.
That's not to say all is lost once “Ezra” takes this silly turn. There are still many beautiful parenting moments to be found underneath this overly dramatic story. Although they have always been well-meaning parents, Max and Jenna realize that they haven't listened to Ezra enough. They have been choosing what is best for him without listening to what Ezra is going through.
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