Grade: B-
Child actor William A. Fitzgerald makes his film debut as the title character in Ezra. I haven’t been able to find confirmation one way or the other about Fitzgerald being on the spectrum (most signs seem to point to “no”), but as the autistic Ezra, he nails the performance. Almost everything he says is in a cinematic or theatrical tone of voice, like he’s doing a movie quote (and he does also recite lines from films like scripture). The rest of the movie isn’t quite up to his level.
Ezra’s father Max is prone to anger, and compulsively lashing out. It reminded me of Bradley Cooper and Nicolas Cage in, respectively, Silver Linings Playbook and The Weather Man – two of my favorites, that were done much…excuse me…better than Ezra. Max (Bobby Cannavale from Blue Jasmine, I, Tonya, The Irishman, and Blonde) is a stand-up comedian. I didn’t find his act that funny, but his manager Jayne (Whoopi Goldberg) calls him with the good news that he has booked an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel live. Meanwhile, he and his new ex-wife are trying to co-parent and navigate the issues with Ezra. He’s been acting up at school lately. Max doesn’t take too kindly to the doctor who tries to prescribe Ezra some medication. He lands himself a night in jail and a three month restraining order against his own son.
Ezra is about to be put in a special needs school. Max kidnaps him in the middle of the night, and they road-trip to California for the Kimmel taping. It is here that I started being unsure what the film was trying to do. It started to feel like a random hodgepodge, and most of the moments are not the most organic in the world. Emerging the most successful is the sequence at the house with Vera Farmiga. It’s so delightful that I wanted a whole “spinoff” movie of just that part. The stacked cast is a pleasure to see. This is a typical latter-day supporting performance from Robert De Niro as Max’s father, but he’s quite good here. We can feel his affection for his grandson. For at least 30 years, Tony Goldwyn (who also directs) has had the market cornered when it comes to slimy, douchey white male characters. But here, this is the nicest person I’ve seen him play. He is the ex-wife’s new boyfriend – a smart, kindly lawyer who is just trying to help.
After an abrupt ending, Jimmy does appear in the movie – Guillermo too – during the credits, in an epilogue that is more funny strange than funny haha. I left Ezra more confused than satisfied. It’s messy, meandering, and often uncomfortable, but I am recommending it just barely. Ultimately, I give it credit for visiting this story, and unapologetically telling it on its own terms. I bet approaching this material is not as easy as it looks. Do you know what that’s a reference to? Ezra would.
Grade: B-
Film Reviews by Mark 
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