Based on the book of the same title, Riding in Cars with Boys is both heart-rending and humorous. Drew Barrymore plays Beverly Donofrio, a youmg woman who becomes pregnant at 15 and is forced to live a life far different than what she'd hoped (or what her parents had hoped). James Woods is totally believable as her father, a man who tells Beverly she "broke his heart" when she became pregnant.
But the real surprise here is the focus of the movie. Although supposedly the story of Beverly, the events are told from the point of view of her son and it is clear that her failures as a parent form much of the basis for this film. She is less than an ideal parent, resentful of her son's intrustion into her life and forced to cope with more than her share of hardships (her husband is a drug addict).
- Four Behind-The-Scenes featurettes: "Drew's Trailer Tour," "Bev & Ray's House: Recreating Reality," "The Cars," and "Beverly & Jason: Sons and Lovers"
