I appear on “CTV News at 6” with Andria Case to talk about the best movies and television to watch this weekend. I’ll tell you about the family drama “Ezra” and the inspirational Michael Caine film “The Great Escaper.”
Watch the whole thing HERE! (Starts at 38:18)
Fast reviews for busy people! Watch as I review three movies in less time than it takes to stamp your foot! Have a look as I race against the clock to tell you about the family drama “Ezra,” the inspirational “The Great Escaper” and the cheerleading drama “Backspot.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
I sit in with NewsTalk 1010 host Jim Richards on the coast-to-coast-to-coast late night “NewsTalk Tonight” to play the game “Did Richard Crouse Like This?” This week we talk about the family drama “Ezra,” the inspirational “The Great Escaper” and the cheerleading drama “Backspot.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
I join “CTV News Toronto at Five” with host Natalie Johnson, to talk about the family drama “Ezra” and the inspirational “The Great Escaper.”
Watch the whole thing HERE! (Starts at 16:20)
I join CP24 to have a look at the family drama “Ezra,” the inspirational “The Great Escaper” and the cheerleading drama “Backspot.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
I join the CTV NewsChannel anchor Roger Peterson to talk about the family drama “Ezra,” the inspirational “The Great Escaper” and the cheerleading drama “Backspot.”
Watch the whole thing HERE!
I sit in with CKTB morning show host Steph Vivier to have a look at the family drama “Ezra,” the inspirational “The Great Escaper” and the cheerleading drama “Backspot.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
I sit in on the CFRA Ottawa morning show with guest host Graham Richardson to talk the new movies coming to theatres and streaming including the family drama “Ezra,” the inspirational “The Great Escaper” and the cheerleading drama “Backspot.”
Listen to the whole thing HERE!
LOGLINE: Bobby Cannavale plays Max Brandel, a stand-up comedian struggling to co-parent his autistic 10-year-old son Ezra (William Fitzgerald) with ex-wife Jenna (Rose Byrne). Since the divorce Max has spiraled, his once thriving career is in tatters. When he isn’t on stage oversharing about his personal life, he’s living with father Stan (Robert De Niro), a plain-spoken man, nicknamed Pop Pop, who Max barely tolerates. “Pop Pop,” says Max, “that’s appropriate. He’s like two gunshots, one to the head, one to the heart.”
When a doctor suggests treating Ezra’s impulsive behavior with medication and special schooling, Max uses an audition for a spot on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” as an excuse to take Ezra, without Janna’s permission, on a cross-country road trip from New York to Los Angeles.
“I don’t want him in his own world,” Max says. “I want him in this world!”
CAST: Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Robert De Niro, Rainn Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Kimmel, Tony Goldwyn (who also directs).
REVIEW: This fractured family story, while episodic in nature, is bolstered by two stand-out lead performances and a strong supporting cast. Fitzgerald, who is neurodivergent, delivers natural work without the precociousness that sometimes mars the performances of younger actors.
As Max, a jittery comic with a short fuse and a big heart, Cannavale hands in career best work that both captures the cadences of a seasoned stand-up and the desperation of a loving father who makes bad decisions.
Together, their work feels honest and raw, a perfect match with the film’s weather-beaten tone.
Outside the main performances, the movie thrives off the small details. The way Vera Farmiga, as Max’s childhood friend, greets him after not seeing him for years, is all warmth and cuddles. Byrne’s gentle interactions with Ezra provide welcome tender moments, even when she is faced with the difficult decisions surrounding the institutionalization of her son.
Less effective is the story’s tendency toward emotional exploitation. The film’s road trip may be its liveliest portion, but as it winds through to its conclusion in Kimmel’s studio, screenwriter Tony Spiridakis and director Goldwyn, unleash a cascade of emotionality that threatens to wash away the more interesting, perceptive family drama that came before.
The result is a somewhat manipulative, but heartfelt look at the extremes parents will go to get the best for their children.
