Ride

I didn't recognize Helen Hunt when she was still wearing those hideous glasses at home. Even without glasses, she didn't exactly look familiar. I watched a handful of "Mad about You" episodes but she has changed somewhat. Her hairstyle is still cute. She looked like she did in "Shots Fired", filmed near where I live (the only reason I watched); that led me to conclude that might be her. No wonder she's so good. And so funny. And she even wrote and directed, something I didn't know until the end. She looks great in a swimsuit, by the way; later, she is lying in bed wearing just a towel and showing off her legs. And she can do physical comedy! It looked quite dangerous, but surely there were stunt performers. And I suspected, and later was proved right by the credits, that some visual effects might have been added. That makes more sense than doing everything where it would be the most hazardous. Everything looked real.

The TiVo summary also said "Comedy, surfing". It took me a while to be certain I was supposed to be laughing. Not until the surfing lessons began was I absolutely certain. But later on there is so much drama and so much conflict that calling this a comedy seems incorrect. There are reasons why Jackie and her ex broke up, though the new family is quite nice.

Brenton Thwaites is a name I have never heard. He's likable enough.

Luke Wilson is a talented comic actor I am somewhat familiar with. I didn't recognize him but he is patient and caring.

David Zayas is to be commended for putting up with all the nonsense.

And of course there is Richard Kind. This is the type of role for which he is ideal. I'm just sorry he only appeared in one scene and I could only hear him over the phone even then. I'm not even sure I was supposed to be able to understand anything he said but his frustration comes through.

And you'll be amazed at the ending.

While it's not the highbrow material Helen Hunt might be expected to do, it's certainly a fun and well-done farce.

I viewed this movie from the standpoint of a parent of an adult child as is the main character, Jackie. In my view this is what the story is about, how a parent lets go and enjoys watching her child make their way as an adult. In doing so, she is able to move on to becoming a more authentic person as well. I've always been a fan of Helen Hunt and although her appearance has changed, she still brings us her ability to make us feel we are watching a woman bravely dealing with what life is bringing her way. The film present a great contrast between their lives in New York and California. The son, Angelo, travels to CA to visit his dad. I'm a little surprised at how quickly the son, Angelo, adapts to the different lifestyle. Luke Wilson as Jackie's love life is a good match. His calmness contrasting with her franticness plays well.

Helen Hunt looks vastly different in this movie. It's only relevant if you are a fan of Hunt's before this movie.

I found the movie very relatable as Helen hunt plays an overbearing single mother whose college aged son, drops out to surf in California and she follows him from New York in order to connect by learning how to surf herself.

It's a drama driven by Helen Hunt in center stage and a coming of age story that not only focus on a boy trying to figure out his life but a mother trying to let go of the boy becoming a man, so in a lot of ways it's her coming of age story as well.

Not the best movie about surfing I've ever seen but I think I've only see two (Point Break and Johnny Tsunami), but it's one of those movies that really grounded on real life emotions and dealing with real life things.

It was a good Helen Hunt movie.

This is a down to earth film about real life. It tackles among other thing the sometimes odd relationship between a mother and son, which are brilliantly played by Helen Hunt and Brenton Thwaites. The mother has a real hard time letting her son go as he's turning into a grown up that doesn't need his mother anymore. As a know-it-all person that likes to be on top of things she follows her son to California from New York and spies on him as he's trying to find himself and experience new things while living with his laid back dad that just want's him to do whatever makes him happy. Her ridiculous behavior is quite funny as is her interactions with the chauffeur that she hires to drive her around while stalking her son. This odd behavior is explained as the story enfolds and a tragedy from the past is brought to light. This a story about a person that seems to be in complete control of her life, but then she's swept away by changes and has to let her self go, learn to trust others and embrace the unexpected. The film is both funny and sad, and very beautiful, specially the surfing scenes that are a perfect setting for a person that is learning to be humble and accepting.

Ride

When a woman says that she's riding the crimson wave it doesn't mean she's a sunrise surfer.

Mind your, the middle-aged mom in this dramedy could be the exception.

When her son Angelo (Brenton Thwaites) drops out of college to pursue his writing and surf aspirations on the West Coast, Jackie (Helen Hunt) takes a hiatus from her editing job to keep an eye on him.

In California she starts taking surf lessons from Ian (Luke Wilson) and discovers a new side to herself apart from her son's post-secondary life choices.

Free to explore, Angelo also finds his rebellious view on education may not be the best option for his art.

From its superficial self-discovery script to its stock surfing shots, this vanity project from writer/director Helen Hunt does little to showcase any noteworthy talents beyond her established acting ability.

Nevertheless, surfer parents sound way less involved than helicopter parents.

Red Light

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