Ride

It is a 2nd directional feature for Helen Hunt. She also starred in a prominent role which is about a mother-son relationship. I don't understand why it was rated very low, but I like this rare movie, which portrayed parent-children bond in an emotional way. Such kind of a beautiful film the last time I saw was the 'The Guilt Trip', I guess. Only the women filmmakers can make films like this.

Maybe this movie hit my weak point, I'm always sympathetic to the old people's struggle. Anyway, I liked the Helen Hunt's role and she was not struggling, but wanted to connect with her son who's grown up and trying to stretch his wings to fly away from her. This is very usual in the real world, an affectionate father towards his daughter and the same to a mother towards her son. I find this kind of themes are very cute and touches me.

There's nothing bad about the direction, but the screen writing. Helen Hunt is not a great writer, in some parts the film was very dry. Feelingless emotions, but overall keeping the prime target as a mother who's pursuing her son for some reason. There were a few scenes that added the fun flavour to the movie.

I wanted to give more points it, but I can't. Besides, I can recommend it to the people who're interested to have a movie about the family issues. Not like couples having a quarrel, but between parents and their kids, like maybe similar to the one I mentioned in the first paragraph.

7/10

Helen Hunt looks vastly different in this movie. It's only relevant if you are a fan of Hunt's before this movie.

I found the movie very relatable as Helen hunt plays an overbearing single mother whose college aged son, drops out to surf in California and she follows him from New York in order to connect by learning how to surf herself.

It's a drama driven by Helen Hunt in center stage and a coming of age story that not only focus on a boy trying to figure out his life but a mother trying to let go of the boy becoming a man, so in a lot of ways it's her coming of age story as well.

Not the best movie about surfing I've ever seen but I think I've only see two (Point Break and Johnny Tsunami), but it's one of those movies that really grounded on real life emotions and dealing with real life things.

It was a good Helen Hunt movie.

I viewed this movie from the standpoint of a parent of an adult child as is the main character, Jackie. In my view this is what the story is about, how a parent lets go and enjoys watching her child make their way as an adult. In doing so, she is able to move on to becoming a more authentic person as well. I've always been a fan of Helen Hunt and although her appearance has changed, she still brings us her ability to make us feel we are watching a woman bravely dealing with what life is bringing her way. The film present a great contrast between their lives in New York and California. The son, Angelo, travels to CA to visit his dad. I'm a little surprised at how quickly the son, Angelo, adapts to the different lifestyle. Luke Wilson as Jackie's love life is a good match. His calmness contrasting with her franticness plays well.

My first impression of the movie was the dialog, and it seemed very unnatural as in normal people do not speak that way it seemed as if every conversation was contrived. Her son was overreacting and livid in an unnatural way, Helen Hunts Character was irritating which I think she wanted to be overbearing well she succeeded in that. Luke Wilson was a hollow character that did not serve much purpose but maybe he was not supposed to. Is this the way overeducated people speak? David Zayas from Dexter was in it as her driver and still not sure what his role was there for besides making painful quizzical faces. The whole movie seemed jumpy . disjointed. with conversations that seems out of place and over written. The only real part of the movie was the surf scenes which were quite accurate for learning surfers. Not sure what the aim of the movie was but with me as a viewer it missed the target.

My impression is nearly everyone is responding to this in stereotypical ways - seeing the mother as impossibly overbearing and interfering.

Actually mother and son have a great relationship. They argue intensely and in detail about what his stories should be like - and about life and their relationship in general. This is very well portrayed. And most of us should be so lucky to have such a relationship.

So she takes it too far - but hardly in a Tennessee Williams way. And they argue intensely about that too, and work their way to a successful conclusion.

Sure, it's all a little too Hollywood pat and neat in the end.

But you have an unusual portrait of an unusual and very good mother-son relationship - and a very passionately involved mother. She's very OK.

I enjoyed it a lot.