Riding in the Car with Boys

By FRANCES GRANT

(Herald rating: * * )

Is every struggling solo mum a thwarted writer? Perhaps not, but Beverly Donofrio, whose story this movie is based on, certainly seems to be part of a phenomenon of the times.

Unlike the more famous J.K. Rowling, who made it to maturity before impoverished motherhood encouraged her to put pen to paper, Donofrio (Barrymore) gets knocked up as a 15-year-old and bundled into marriage by incensed and embarrassed 60s Catholic parents.

The talented teen, trapped in working-class surrounds with a drinking, drug-using husband, has to shelve her dream of going to college and becoming a writer.

Eventually Donofrio extricates herself from this trap and publishes her story at the age of 35. But just how she actually achieved the turnaround in her life is unclear in this movie, which mostly wallows in the frustrations and disappointments of the teen and twentysomething years.

The story is punctuated by the adult Beverly and son Jason taking a road trip back to her home town on the eve of the publication of her book. Jason has his own issues, as they say, along the lines of having had to raise his mother.

According to the publicity, Riding in Cars with Boys is intended as a comedy-drama. There are what could be meant as comic elements in the horrible overacting in that part of the film which deals with Beverly's teenage years, otherwise the description is a mystery.

The film is not completely lacking in appeal, which is mostly provided in the strong performances of some subsidiary characters. Zahn is great as the dim, hopeless, guilt-ridden husband and Rosie Perez is a scene stealer in a tiny role as his trailer-trash partner.

However, Barrymore is simply wrong for the role of Beverly, trying so hard to make her likeable that she completely misses the point of the character. Barrymore is best playing sunny sweetheart types and just can't seem to cope with the gritty reality of Beverly's life.

Neither could the art directors, it seems. The working-class cul de sac where most of the action is played out never looks like anything other than a movie set.

Riding in Cars with Boys is supposed to be a "fresh and funny" inspirational story. Instead it seems solely a cautionary tale about the woes of teen motherhood and it makes for a tedious and lurching trip.

Cast: Drew Barrymore, Steve Zahn, Brittany Murphy, Adam Garcia, Lorraine Bracco, James Woods

Director: Penny Marshall

Running time: 122 mins

Rating: M

Screening: Berkeley, Village cinemas