Ezra is a drama that follows comedian Mark as he takes his autistic son Ezra across the country with him as he makes his way to Jimmy Kimmel. Meanwhile, Ezra’s mother (and Mark’s ex-wife) Jenna, and Mark’s father Stan team up to bring back her son. Bobby Cannavale and William A. Fitzgerald deliver good performances and the film tells a touching story about the realities of raising a child on the spectrum.
The story is pure, if not meandering. Ezra is at its best when it displays Mark and Ezra’s relationship. Mark doesn’t treat Ezra as a burden and treats him as anyone would treat their son. However, he understands that he is vulnerable to forces beyond his control. He protects him where he can but allows him to explore and grow. He fights back when he feels people are taking advantage of him and shows a true love for his son.
The movie is a lot like a buddy comedy, where we meet new people along the way to help develop both Ezra and Mark. Folks like Grace (Vera Farmiga) and Nick (Rainn Wilson) speak to the softer side of Mark, who is angry and lashes out. Grace’s daughter Rose and Nick’s friend Sister Margaret (Jacqueline Nwabueze) help Ezra find his peace and give him a chance to explore his senses.
I felt like Rose Byrne and Robert DeNiro were also solid, but I couldn’t find myself latching on to them. DeNiro does have a nice scene with Cannavale towards the end about why he was raised the way he was but it felt a little too late. A lot of scenes felt like they were trying to nail a big theme but it ended hollow.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Ezra is a touching movie about a father and son. Both Cannavale and Fitzgerald are good at portraying this bond as their chemistry is natural. The subject matter is handled delicately but the movie goes out of its way not to hold anyone’s hand. All in all, Ezra is a solid film.
