10 April 2012
Based on the true story of Beverly Donifrio, who grew out of being a "bad" girl (Drew Barrymore) to become a tenacious mother, deserted by her slacker husband ("I knew you drank - but heroin!"), and then a best-selling authoress with a tell-all autobiography.
What redeems this overlong, inspirational, smiling-through story, that oversells motherhood and mistakes self-centredness for devotion, is Steve Zahn's performance as the feckless husband. Penny Marshall directs, hugging each emotional high until it dies on her.
Women may embrace it; blokes will find it uphill going.
Riding In Cars With Boys
Cert: cert12
