Ride

Interesting movie and though I have never really been a major fan of Helen Hunt, I was most curious to see this movie because she had written the screen play. True to form, her acting appears similar to most of the things she has done..a stilted kind of speech that at times feels forced,contrived, and not at all fluid. The beginning dialogues with her son force one to almost hit pause, rewind, to listen again....the words so verbose and clumsy with wordplay and intensity. Still, once the movie gives away to the California setting, the characters also appeared to "relax" a bit and things actually became enjoyable.. The underlying storyline appears...a story of loss and control over what was lost and to ensure what IS, can never be lost.. (and in that, lies the blurred and somewhat contentious relationship between mother and son).. If you can get past the beginning, I would recommend this movie...Helen Hunt has written a fairly poignant screenplay..

I didn't recognize Helen Hunt when she was still wearing those hideous glasses at home. Even without glasses, she didn't exactly look familiar. I watched a handful of "Mad about You" episodes but she has changed somewhat. Her hairstyle is still cute. She looked like she did in "Shots Fired", filmed near where I live (the only reason I watched); that led me to conclude that might be her. No wonder she's so good. And so funny. And she even wrote and directed, something I didn't know until the end. She looks great in a swimsuit, by the way; later, she is lying in bed wearing just a towel and showing off her legs. And she can do physical comedy! It looked quite dangerous, but surely there were stunt performers. And I suspected, and later was proved right by the credits, that some visual effects might have been added. That makes more sense than doing everything where it would be the most hazardous. Everything looked real.

The TiVo summary also said "Comedy, surfing". It took me a while to be certain I was supposed to be laughing. Not until the surfing lessons began was I absolutely certain. But later on there is so much drama and so much conflict that calling this a comedy seems incorrect. There are reasons why Jackie and her ex broke up, though the new family is quite nice.

Brenton Thwaites is a name I have never heard. He's likable enough.

Luke Wilson is a talented comic actor I am somewhat familiar with. I didn't recognize him but he is patient and caring.

David Zayas is to be commended for putting up with all the nonsense.

And of course there is Richard Kind. This is the type of role for which he is ideal. I'm just sorry he only appeared in one scene and I could only hear him over the phone even then. I'm not even sure I was supposed to be able to understand anything he said but his frustration comes through.

And you'll be amazed at the ending.

While it's not the highbrow material Helen Hunt might be expected to do, it's certainly a fun and well-done farce.

I'm conflicted.

Normally a movie of this type will be interesting and fun for most of the first 80 minutes and then end in a clunky manipulative way. It is that rare movie that is stubbornly insufferable for more than 80 minutes and then ends in a weirdly satisfying if predictable way.

It can be unbearable at times to watch Helen Hunt try and act her way through her impassively clay-like new face, as if she were a Star Trek Changeling character. It can be maddening at times at how sympathetic and misunderstood she thinks her character is. And it can be frustrating at how mechanical the scene construction and the in your face symbolism feels.

But I have to admit that there is a charming tone that coalesces nicely in the last 15 minutes. You know what's coming, and the unflinchingly cheesy dialogue up to this point is often unintentionally amusing, but when it happens at the end it feels real, just like the ending to the story she's been discussing with her son. There's just enough of a spark there to make you understand why she wanted to make this movie.

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

This is a down to earth film about real life. It tackles among other thing the sometimes odd relationship between a mother and son, which are brilliantly played by Helen Hunt and Brenton Thwaites. The mother has a real hard time letting her son go as he's turning into a grown up that doesn't need his mother anymore. As a know-it-all person that likes to be on top of things she follows her son to California from New York and spies on him as he's trying to find himself and experience new things while living with his laid back dad that just want's him to do whatever makes him happy. Her ridiculous behavior is quite funny as is her interactions with the chauffeur that she hires to drive her around while stalking her son. This odd behavior is explained as the story enfolds and a tragedy from the past is brought to light. This a story about a person that seems to be in complete control of her life, but then she's swept away by changes and has to let her self go, learn to trust others and embrace the unexpected. The film is both funny and sad, and very beautiful, specially the surfing scenes that are a perfect setting for a person that is learning to be humble and accepting.