Review: Strong performances and script propel road trip dramedy ‘Ezra’

Director Tony Goldwyn opens his family dramedy “Ezra” in the warm, collegial comfort of a comedy club. Max (Bobby Cannavale) perches on a stool, a handheld camera drifting closer and closer as he tells jokes about his life — including his autistic son — layering truths with punchlines, walking a tightrope of tones.

It’s an invitation from Goldwyn, and screenwriter Tony Spiridakis, to sit down and listen a while as they unfurl this heartfelt, humorous and sometimes harrowing yarn.

Right away, the movie establishes that Max is the proud and loving father of Ezra, and who has no problem grappling with the realities of raising an autistic child. Throughout the events that follow, we never lose sight of that, because Max fiercely loves his son (played by William A. Fitzgerald, an autistic actor making his film debut), and that understanding offers a sense of emotional safety as the plot that unfolds becomes increasingly high-stakes.

It’s this place setting, as well as the strong lead performances, that allow Goldwyn to thread the needle on a story that could potentially go off the rails.

“Ezra” is the story of a father, desperate to protect his son, who takes him on a cross-country road trip where they experience catharsis and healing. It’s a fairly traditional road movie formula with an autism twist. Also, the “road trip” is technically a “kidnapping,” since Max spirits Ezra out of bed from the home of ex-wife Jenna (Rose Byrne), and the film never shies away from that reality.

The kidnapping stems from a misunderstanding that spirals into an unfortunate accident, coupled with Max’s own traumatic triggers. It’s never fully explicated in the screenplay, but Max’s past mental health issues and possibly undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder are frequently alluded to, thrumming below the surface.

Every character choice in “Ezra” is plausible because it comes from a place of emotional honesty, both in the script and performances. We understand why Max acts in the extreme, and also why Jenna is hesitant to call the authorities, but feels forced to do so because their characters are well-established and perfectly performed.

It’s no surprise that longtime life partners Byrne and Cannavale have an easy chemistry, and Cannavale and Robert De Niro, who plays his gruff father, Stan, have rapid-fire New York-accented rapport. While Cannavale holds the center as the complex Max, demonstrating his range, as well as his ability to lead a movie, De Niro, unsurprisingly, is magnetic. It’s not a huge role, but his performance is beautifully expressed.

Goldwyn has called in the big guns to set “Ezra” up for success, and in addition to Cannavale, Byrne and De Niro, he has cast supporting actors such as Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson, himself in a small role, and his “Ghost” co-star Whoopi Goldberg, who plays Max’s agent.

The film is an actor’s showcase, and it’s the performances that hold everything together, especially the young Fitzgerald, who is terrific as Ezra, a young man who communicates his preferences and boundaries clearly — he’s often the only character saying exactly what he means. Goldwyn’s direction is sure-handed in navigating the complicated tone that tiptoes through comedy and pathos.

“Ezra” could tip into melodrama, but Goldwyn sidesteps that with a rather facile ending, seemingly skipping a story beat in the denouement. You crave one more moment to wrap things up, but sometimes it’s better to leave us wanting more, avoiding the treacle and focusing on the heart — and the humor — of the matter.

3 stars (out of 4)

Rated: R for language, some sexual references and drug use.

Where: In theaters Friday.