Rating: 
Riding In Cars With Boys [DVD] [2001]
This film, based on the true story of Bev Donofrio, is no mere ‘chic flic’. Touching and funny, we found ourselves involved with the characters and the problems they faced, including Bev’s teenage pregnancy, and subsequently bringing up her son, often alone, Ray the hopeless husband, and Faye, best friend but seen as a bad influence.
A credit to Bev and son, Jason for perseverence in the face of hopelessness. At one point she explains, ‘I still haven’t accepted that this is my life. And I just wish that I could be dumb. And then I wouldn’t know better and I could be happy and stop hoping..’ She didn’t, but neither did Jason, who helps any child who grew up in a difficult environment, trying to make sense of it, sometimes feeling like the parent, and being the soundingboard for all that emotion that only adults should share.