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Riding In Cars With Boys Details

2001 Certificate 12
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 3062 members

Beverly (Drew Barrymore) loves boys, but she knows her limits--nothing below the waist (her own), if she doesn't know the boy. Ray (Steve Zahn), however, a sweet-natured but shiftless young man is the exception to her rule and shortly after meeting him she ends up pregnant--at age fifteen. At the wedding insisted upon by her .. Read more

Starring Drew Barrymore, Sara Gilbert, Steve Zahn, Mika Boorem
Director Penny Marshall
Genres Comedy

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Riding In Cars With Boys

Beverly (Drew Barrymore) loves boys, but she knows her limits--nothing below the waist (her own), if she doesn't know the boy. Ray (Steve Zahn), however, a sweet-natured but shiftless young man is the exception to her rule and shortly after meeting him she ends up pregnant--at age fifteen. At the wedding insisted upon by her disappointed father, Bev finds out her best friend is also pregnant, and the two console each other for the youth they've lost. RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS is a true story based on the autobiography by Beverly D'Onofrio about her youthful days of revelry, rebellion, and teenage motherhood. Barrymore is credible as an Italian-American girl who's far too smart to be stuck where she is in life, but it's Zahn (THAT THING YOU DO) who steals the show in a long-overdue starring turn, with his heartfelt portrayal of a lost little boy who never finds his way to manhood. James Woods is Bev's alienated father. And Lorraine Bracco is her supportive, long-suffering mother who looks after the house, Bev's son Jason, and Ray, while Bev desperately tries for her GED and a scholarship to NYU. It's Bev's drive and unflagging ambition--and Penny Marshall's usual surehanded direction--that turn her hardship into the triumph of survival.

Starring Drew Barrymore, Sara Gilbert, Steve Zahn, Mika Boorem, Brittany Murphy, Damien Garcia, James Woods, Desmond Harrington, David Moscow, Marisa Ryan
Director Penny Marshall
Studio UCA
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 6 mins
Certificate Certificate 12
Genres Comedy
Language DVD: English
Hearing-impaired English
Subtitles DVD: English, Hindi
Released DVD: 04 Mar 2005
Production year: 2001
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of Riding In Cars With Boys

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    Drew Barrymore ages from teenager to thirtysomething — she manages 15 but 35 is less convincing — in this drama based on the memoirs of underage mother Beverly Donofrio. As Beverly, Barrymore has a baby while still at school, marries the dim-witted but well-meaning father (a superb performance from Steve Zahn) and moans that all hopes of going to college and having a writing career are now lost to her. If it wasn't for Barrymore's likeable performance, this would be irritating rather than a fairly enjoyable tale of one woman's strength of character, even if it is at the expense of those around her — including her son, played as an adult by Adam Garcia who actually looks older than she does. Shame there's not more screen time for James Woods and Lorraine Bracco as Beverly's parents.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • Based on Beverly Donofrio's memoir about her struggles to juggle fun, family, and her ambition to become a writer -... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of Riding In Cars With Boys

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  • 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Not what it seems!

    This is not your classic Drew Barrymore film, in fact, i think the title gives you the wrong idea about it. i would describe it as a film about a girl and her best mate and them growing up together and experiencing different things. The path the girls take is not quite what you would have expected and it is interesting viewing, watching how they deal with the events that change their life. A quiet film that is a little suprising but pleasant viewing. utterly harmless. If you like Drew, you will probably enjoy the film. Worth a peek.

      • Charlotte from London
      • Posted 20 Jul 2004 13:31

  • Most recent members' review of Riding In Cars With Boys

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  • 4 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    What a Weepy!

    This film is fabulous. I've always been a fan of Drew Barrymore's, but I wasn't too sure I was going to like this one - biographys are not my favourite genre. I was pleasantly surprised, however, once this film started and I loved it. Really worth watching, but make sure you've got a box of tissues handy!

      • A customer from Orpington, England
      • Posted 29 Jun 2005 unknown

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Rating breakdown

3,062 Member ratings
  • 100
243
  • 90
197
  • 80
424
  • 70
535
  • 60
700
  • 50
392
  • 40
265
  • 30
146
  • 20
107
  • 10
53

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    • Riding In Cars With Boys

    • Riding In Cars With Boys
      Beverly (Drew Barrymore) loves boys, but she knows her limits--nothing below the waist (her own), if she doesn't know the boy. Ray (Steve Zahn), however, a sweet-natured but shiftless young man is the exception to her rule and shortly after meeting him she ends up pregnant--at age fifteen. At the ...