Movie review: Strong performances 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 tight-rope of tones. It’s an invitation from Goldwyn, and screenwriter Tony Spiridakis, to sit down and listen awhile as they unfurl this heartfelt, humorous and sometimes harrowing yarn.

It establishes right away that Max is the proud and loving father of Ezra (William A. Fitzgerald, an autistic actor making his film debut), 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, 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, in fact relying on this perceived danger to ramp up the dramatic tension and set characters in motion.

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. His experience makes him an understanding father to Ezra, but also somewhat hampers his ability to properly parent his son. Upset that Ezra might be medicated with anti-psychotics and placed in a special education school, Max assesses that the doctors, pharmaceutical companies and the state are in collusion to keep himself and his son apart. He’s not necessarily wrong, but his desire to expose Ezra to the world and treat him like any other kid bumps up against Jenna’s wish to provide her son with every accommodation and suggested treatment.

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 sparkling, 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. She calls him when he’s on the road to Michigan to visit a friend (Wilson) at a summer camp, to let him know that he’s been booked on Jimmy Kimmel and needs to be in L.A. in a week, extending their trip even further across the country. Despite Ezra’s protestations, they head West, with Max convinced he needs his son as a good-luck charm for his set. Meanwhile, Stan and Jenna hit the road in hot pursuit, and “Ezra” becomes a dueling odd-couple road movie.

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. But Goldwyn’s direction is sure-handed in navigating the complicated tone that tiptoes through comedy and pathos. He pushes his style with cinematographer Danny Moder, utilizing those handheld close-ups for more emotionally intense moments, and imparting a sense of gritty authenticity to a story that often requires a suspended disbelief.

“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.