Raising a child can be one of the hardest things to do because they are a reflection of you.
This seems to be the anthesis of Ezra directed by Tony Goldwyn as Max (Bobby Canavale), Jenna (Rose Byrne) and Stan (Robert De Niro) all do their best to learn and understand Ezra. Ezra (William A. Fitzgerald) is autistic and his unique personality is the joy of Max and Jenna’s lives. However, as Max and Jenna push him to live life to the fullest, the obstacles of society collide against Ezra’s obsession of movie quotes and explosions of energy. Soon after an incident makes the parents and doctors question if Ezra can continue in a public school, the offer to go to a special school and new medication divides Max and Jenna (though they were already divided in their marriage). This sets Max on an impulsive and unplanned journey with Ezra as the two of them try to understand who they are and experience growth in new places as Max’s love for Ezra drives them to surprising and compromising situations.
Now, there will always be delicate hearts and minds when it comes to films that depict the experience of living on the spectrum, especially one that comes from the perspective of a parent rather than the child. For this reason, you might find Max’s dangerous and stubborn persona maddening and, potentially, loathe this movie. There should be more films with the protagonist being the one who lives on the spectrum which are hopefully being told by the people who live with it. However, I did respect this film for allowing a parent to make mistakes in their efforts to love their autistic son as, like many parents, they make mistakes.
The unique challenges that Ezra faces makes Max’s life both harder and so much more full of life. The film never condones the risky behaviour that Max demonstrates (though some might argue that the ending lets Max off easy.) I think it’s admirable to let a parent make grave mistakes in trying to raise their child while still loving them fully. Too often we deal with absent or abusive parents in cinema or ones that are perfect in some ways which is simply not the case. Films like Lady Bird, 20th Century Women and even Mrs Doubtfire capture the flaws of parents while still demonstrating the immense love they hold for their children. You can count Ezra among them. The choice to embrace an exploration of flawed parenting leads to some of the best emotional scenes of the year as you see how a man’s anger compromises his love for his son. These scenes should connect with parents and children alike but these scenes are unbalanced due to others that overstay their welcome in trying to invite emotion.
The cinematography is simple but, by taking the camera into beautiful, outdoor locations, the film’s overall look is elevated by the set pieces. The framing of these simple places elevates them and the film uses these to create the unique perspective of both Max and Ezra. Other scenes use distinct and natural lighting from practical sources really well. The club scenes and the use of the sun is particularly strong but it’s the light from cars where the most striking images of the film are found. The film uses editing well and paced well, even though it feels that the screenplay could have gotten to some of the best scenes faster then they did.
Max’s anti-hero nature also allows him to make dramatic decisions that put him and Ezra into really interesting situations, heightening the emotion of the film and forcing him to make more interesting decisions. However, after a certain point these decisions do feel repetitive and the film is so focused on this one journey that the characters take that it never seems willing to embrace another. This is where the focus on Max and his goals seemed stretched out as the exploration of his relationship with other women, Jenna and the longer scenes with Stan make the film more complex then its story is leaving room for.
That’s not to say these scenes between Max and Stan are not interesting as we get hints into why these characters are they way they are and why Ezra’s personality is found in them. It is able to reflect on the unique parts of all of us and the ways that we do not fit into society in resonant ways. Even with its flaws, Ezra is a film with a lot of heart and, while that genuine passion is played out a little long in the script, the performances from the cast make it a film well worth watching. This is a film that proves that a genuine heart for people will always create resonating stories, even if the story is patched together in places.
Ezra is in theatres on Friday, May 31st, 2024.
