By Jorge Ignacio Castillo

Ezra (USA, 2023. Dir: Tony Goldwyn): The portrait of autism on screen has improved slightly since the days of Rainman (1989 Oscar for Best Picture, embarrassingly). Alas, it continues to be presented as a superpower more often than it should. The Accountant, The Good Doctor, and the execrable Music come to mind.

Ezra has a few narrative problems but at least tries to keep autism grounded. Granted, it leans on clichés here and there —the autistic lead takes everything too literally, has a tantrum whenever his boundaries aren’t respected— but considering the alternative, a layered neurodivergent character can be considered progress.

The Ezra of the title (newcomer William A. Fitzgerald) is an autistic preteen trying to navigate grade school and his parents’ divorce. Ezra, however, isn’t at the center of the film. That role goes to his dad, Max (Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire), a comedian on the verge of breaking out. He and his former wife Jenna (Rose Byrne) are at odds regarding what kind of education should Ezra receive. Jenna wants to send Ezra to a specialized school, while Max believes his kid shouldn’t be coddled and must face the hardships of everyday life to be better prepared for adulthood (quite literally, the school of hard-knocks).

A misunderstanding gets Max banned from contacting his son and Ezra set to join said learning institution. What is a sensitive parent to do? Kidnap the child and go on the lam across the country, of course.

Directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Tony Goldwyn, Ezra is a mild family drama that benefits from strong acting. Cannavale is uniquely good at playing misguided hotheads with good intentions and Rose Byrne (Cannavale’s real-life partner) manages to remain likeable while saddled with the no-nonsense parent role. Robert DeNiro shows a bit more warmth than usual as Ezra’s grandfather, a man beset with regret over keeping his son at arm’s length when he was growing up.

For an otherwise competent film, a major faux pas at the very end knocks half a star of this review. It’s not even plot related: someone thought it would be a good idea to do an unfunny bit with Jimmy Kimmel and put it in the movie. It’s so out of place, it feels like a contract obligation. 2 ½ stars (out of five).