‘Ezra’ review: Bobby Cannavale gets center stage, and soars
A heartfelt drama about a traveling comic and his autistic son hits the comfort bone.
Max has two goals in life: Find the right school for his son Ezra (also the movie’s title), who is on the autism spectrum, but has a wit and knowledge of life that even his dad hasn’t yet attained-and make it to the Jimmy Kimmel Show to launch his stand-up comedy career. Well known for working on good shows and having talent, making people laugh is the street Max lives on.
What director Tony Goldwyn, who also has a small part as the snarky husband of Max’s ex-wife (played by Cannavale’s real life wife, Rose Byrne), does well is keep the focus on Max and Ezra, who is played well by newcomer William S. Fitzgerald. A father-son tale bound by autism and finding different ways to both communicate and get through life (or school) hasn’t been portrayed well or often enough at the movies. This is more of a subtle salute.
Cannavale and Fitzgerald breathe life and honesty into a pair of roles that could have leaned hard into nostalgia or slapstick humor. But the script is deftly written and cuts the drama like a knife when necessary. For the veteran actor, it’s a bigger piece of the pie leading a cast, even one with a deep bench. It’s a good thing Cannavale has built a highly successful career making the most of any screen time. Here, he’s the guy and knocks it out of the park.
Anyone who loved The Station Agent, Chef, The Other Guys, The Irishman, or any of the various list of credits knows he can leave a dent with only a handful of scenes. As Max, he’s comically invested and doesn’t overplay the drama, making the struggles feel all the more relative to the common viewer. Bravo to Goldwyn, the studio, and whoever else decided to give him the center stage.
The supporting cast all make their mark felt, from Robert De Niro playing Max’s sympathetic father to Whoopi Goldberg as his agent. Byrne’s role is tailor made for her, because she can show weary yet still in the fight on her face within a couple seconds. They all make a lot out of a simplistic yet heartfelt felt take on connection via the means of stand-up.
Ezra is Max’s safety net and biggest fan onstage, and most of the film is an extended road trip (on the lam no less). Some of the moves and notes will seem familiar, but it all goes down easy. One of the best parts involves the boy lashing out at his dad for forgetting that he has to be a father and not just a friend. It’s not preachy when it could have been.
Ezra came out in theaters in May, but is streaming right now on Prime for $4. It’s worth a look for a sophisticated yet engaging drama with just the right amount of comedy.