Ezra (2023)

Jack and I loved this moving and sometimes funny story of Max and his ex-wife Jenna who frequently disagree on how to parent their son on the autism spectrum. Bobby Cannavale and Rose Byrne, real life partners, play powerful advocates for Ezra, played by William A. Fitzgerald, now 15. Lots of star power in supporting roles, including Robert DeNiro as the boy's grandfather, Rainn Wilson, Vera Farmiga, and Whoopi Goldberg.

Tony Goldwyn, who plays the ex-wife's boyfriend, directs from a script by Tony Spiridakis. The latter has a son on the autism spectrum and Goldwyn is Spiridakis' son's godfather.

As I write I'm streaming Carlos Rafael Rivera's 25 minute soundtrack on Apple Music and thinking about the tears I cried at the emotion in the movie. Did I mention that it's moving?

Do stick around for the extras during the credits. I won't tell you what celebrities are in it because that would be a spoiler.

Cannavale was last blogged for Blonde, Byrne for Irresistible, De Niro for Killers of the Flower Moon, Wilson for Jerry & Marge Go Large, Farmiga for The Front Runner, Goldberg for Babes, and Goldwyn for acting in King Richard.

Fitzgerald makes his debut and here's an article about him from his hometown newspaper. If my math is correct, this is the fifth feature directed by Goldwyn and I loved A Walk on the Moon (1999), Someone Like You (2001), and The Last Kiss (2006). He's also directed dozens of TV episodes. Spiridakis is new to me, and Rivera scored seven episodes of The Queen's Gambit, eight of Lessons in Chemistry, and 27 of Hacks.

Rotten Tomatoes's critics, averaging 70%, are way less attentive than we and its audiences, whose average was 92. We rented it on July 16.