Riding in Cars With Boys

PG-13

Released Oct 19, 2001

2 hr. 12 min.

Comedy

Drama

List

49%

110 Reviews

Tomatometer

66%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The fresh, funny, touching and true story of writer Beverly Donofrio (played by Drew Barrymore, who ages from 15 to 35 in the role), reveals her coming of age in the late 1960s and her whole life colored by an event that happened when she was 15. The events span more than two decades, as the young heroine experiences often-humorous, sometimes-irreverent, but certainly a unique personal journey to make something meaningful of her life.

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Critics Consensus

Riding in Cars With Boys suffers from mixing grit and pathos with cuteness and comedy. Ironically, many critics found Zahn's character more compelling and three-dimensional than Barrymore's.

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Taurino P

Great story line of a single mother doing what's best for the kid this movie is unforgivable!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/18/24

Full Review

Eye C

Mommy issues THE MOVIE

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/24

Full Review

Kevin M

Good enough as a comedy. Feels like the plot of the movie shorts something.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/16/23

Full Review

Kim W

So much heart in this film. I can't think of many films that examine topics like this. The critics obviously missed the point.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/15/23

Full Review

Al E

Thought it was a pretty decent movie

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/08/23

Full Review

for r

Penny Marshall is not a director. This movie has too many problems to list. I kept thinking it would get better but failed to deliver right down to its' closng song.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/27/22

Full Review

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Penny Marshall

Director

Drew Barrymore

Beverly Donofrio

Steve Zahn

Ray Hasek

Brittany Murphy

Fay Forrester

Adam Garcia

Jason (Age 20)

Lorraine Bracco

Mrs. Donofrio

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Not a great movie, although Drew Barrymore shines.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 28, 2010

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 3/5

Dec 30, 2006

Full Review

Peter Rainer

New York Magazine/Vulture

Beverly is supposed to be a bad girl running with the wrong crowd, but most of the time she seems to be right out of a serioso episode of Laverne & Shirley.

Jan 22, 2002

Full Review

Kit Bowen

Hollywood.com

Rated: 2/5

Nov 20, 2008

Full Review

Bob Grimm

Sacramento News & Review

Rated: 3/5

Aug 7, 2008

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Columbia's marketing exploits the commercial title and producer James Brooks pedigree, but this humorless chick flick is one of Penny Marshall's worst films.

Rated: C-

Apr 24, 2007

Full Review

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Synopsis

The fresh, funny, touching and true story of writer Beverly Donofrio (played by Drew Barrymore, who ages from 15 to 35 in the role), reveals her coming of age in the late 1960s and her whole life colored by an event that happened when she was 15. The events span more than two decades, as the young heroine experiences often-humorous, sometimes-irreverent, but certainly a unique personal journey to make something meaningful of her life.

Director: Penny Marshall
Executive Producer: Morgan Ward, Bridget Johnson
Screenwriter: Beverly D'Onofrio, Morgan Ward
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Flower Films, Parkway Productions, Gracie Films
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Content|Drug Content|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 19, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 25, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $29.8M
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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