Riding in Car with Boys 2001

‘’Riding in cars with Boys’’ is directed by Penny Marshall and is talking about an important issue in America in the 60s and 70s- teenagers got pregnant.

Film title: This film is the main character, Beverly’s biography and the film title is the same as her book, which is mainly about her life. The fifth words of the title, boys, means that Beverly has to deal with many males-her father, husband (Ray) and her son (Jason).

Story: Beverly slept with Ray and got pregnant. She then married Ray and gave birth to a boy, Jason! She had to study while taking care of her son.

Do you think Beverly has already got ready to be a young mother? No, she still had her dream which is to study in university and she didn’t want to give up!!Also, she didn’t even change Jason’s diaper and kept saying that Jason annoyed her.

Quote from Beverly in the film:’’One day can change your life. One day can ruin your life. All life is four or five big days that change everything.’’Do you agree with that?

I agree with her. The day she met Ray changed her whole life. If she hadn’t slept with Ray, she could have studied in university and probably be a famous writer. (Because she is very smart!!)In our life, there are things that you didn’t mean to do or say, yet there is no way to restore them as saying sorry is useless. Sometimes you will have to accept your destiny and move on. When you look back, you might laugh at what you’ve done before!!

Beverly said’ ‘I didn’t have a boy. I had a girl.’’ Does this affect her love for Jason? She felt disappointed when she found out she had a boy. That’s because her best friend, Fay, got pregnant also and she wanted their children to be girls and grow up just like them, like good sisters!!Beverly didn’t really know whether she loves Jason or she has to love him. I think she did love Jason, no matter how his birth ruined her dream that is, studying in university. She was not sure about her love for Jason for she loved him too much that she couldn’t actually feel her maternal love!!

Do you consider Beverly a good mother? I don’t think she is a good mother. She left Jason on the seesaw and went to talk with Fay. (She thinks Fay has more important thing to tell her!!)Another time, she asked Jason to leave her alone because she had to talk to Fay!!Unfortunately, Jason was drowned in the pool. Beverly was not attentive and responsible.

Does Beverly make a good decision to ask Ray to stay away? Yes, Ray was addicted to smoking and drinking. If he lived with Beverly and Jason, he would only squander all the money for buying heroin. Jason loved her dad very much and hated Beverly’s decision to force Ray to leave. I think it’s the best solution because you can’t let your child grow up to be a drug user, right?

Jason said ‘‘Everything always happens to her, no one else.’’Do you think Beverly is selfish? In the beginning, Beverly is selfish for she has planed the life for Jason as his birthday gift!!That was unfair to him!!Why can’t he decide what he will do for himself? At the end, Beverly changed since she let Jason transfer to the university he wanted! She set Jason free and he no longer had to be forced to follow Beverly’s dream!!