TxMike
We found this movie on Netflix streaming. It is written and directed by Helen Hunt, who also stars. The animosity displayed between the mom and her son is hard to get past at times but overall it ties up with an important life lesson.Helen Hunt is Jackie, a New York author and publishing company executive. She drives her career hard and has a few quirks. We see some early when she is at a high-rise swimming pool doing laps using the dog paddle, so that she never has to get her hair wet.She is single and has a son, Brenton Thwaites as Angelo. He is also an aspiring writer, finishing high school, and set to attend an arts and science college in Manhattan. Their backstory of sorts is that she has become very attached to her son, as well as being very demanding of his writing, probably as an overreaction to having her other son die in his youth.All that sets up the core of the story which is Angelo dropping out of college to travel to California to be near his father. He wants to get away from the New York rat race and figure out what he wants to do, citing many examples of successful authors who didn't finish college. But mostly he wants to move far away from mom.Mom doesn't get angry, at least not much that we can see, instead she packs a bag and unannounced travels to California. She has had a problem letting go and at one point when Angelo mentions surfing, as one example of something Jackie would never do, she stubbornly tells herself it can't be that hard, she'll just get a board and begin surfing. She learns the hard way there's much more to it.The title "Ride" is a reference to riding that wave, finally, as a metaphor for her letting go a bit, for herself and also for her son. In the end he decides to move back to New York and resume his college but she decides to stay in California, beginning to give her son the freedom he deserves.Early in the movie when mom and son discuss how to end a fictional story her saying is it should be "something surprising and inevitable." That is the ending Helen Hunt wrote into this screenplay.
Reno Rangan
It is a 2nd directional feature for Helen Hunt. She also starred in a prominent role which is about a mother-son relationship. I don't understand why it was rated very low, but I like this rare movie, which portrayed parent-children bond in an emotional way. Such kind of a beautiful film the last time I saw was the 'The Guilt Trip', I guess. Only the women filmmakers can make films like this.Maybe this movie hit my weak point, I'm always sympathetic to the old people's struggle. Anyway, I liked the Helen Hunt's role and she was not struggling, but wanted to connect with her son who's grown up and trying to stretch his wings to fly away from her. This is very usual in the real world, an affectionate father towards his daughter and the same to a mother towards her son. I find this kind of themes are very cute and touches me.There's nothing bad about the direction, but the screen writing. Helen Hunt is not a great writer, in some parts the film was very dry. Feelingless emotions, but overall keeping the prime target as a mother who's pursuing her son for some reason. There were a few scenes that added the fun flavour to the movie.I wanted to give more points it, but I can't. Besides, I can recommend it to the people who're interested to have a movie about the family issues. Not like couples having a quarrel, but between parents and their kids, like maybe similar to the one I mentioned in the first paragraph.7/10
newkathysmith
I was a Helen Hunt fan until this movie. Her character was very disturbing and in my opinion she was a stalker. Very creepy! The fighting, the spying and the constant texts back and forth were extremely annoying. Helen leave your son alone and let him live his life! What amazed me was that the driver and her surf instructor seemed to think that what she was doing was OK. What really did it for me was when she walked into her son's bedroom when he was with his girlfriend...that was over the top. Then she cussed at her son, the step mother and the father for no reason when she barged into their home! The only character that had any real substance was the driver. I can't believe that I made it to the end...I kept waiting for something good to happen. If you were a Helen Hunt fan, don't watch this movie...you will be sorely disappointed!
krkemp
I expected more from Helen Hunt. This movie was boring (basically just watching Helen Hunt's character learn to surf over and over). The guy who plays the son, his acting is not good. Cringeworthy really. There is no sexual discovery. Just a one night hook up in a hotel room. The characters are extremely one-dimensional and uninteresting...and unlikeable. There is nothing to like about this mother and son. Luke Wilson is the ONLY pleasant part of this movie. At points, you almost sensed that even his character didn't like the mother and son either. It is a really bad movie and I am not fussy. I'll put up with a little cheesiness but this movie had nothing to offer. You could watch it to laugh at how bad it is, that's about the only value you'll find here.
AD
