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MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 74% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Riding in Cars with Boys
"She did everything wrong, but got everything right."
2001 2h 11m EN
👍
6.8
SOLID
★6.8TMDB · 493
DramaComedy
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
In 1965, a young woman with dreams of becoming a writer has a son at the age of 15 and struggles to make things work with the drug-addicted father.
“She did everything wrong, but got everything right.”
Cast
Drew Barrymore
Beverly Donofrio
Steve Zahn
Ray Hasek
Adam Garcia
Jason
Brittany Murphy
Fay Forrester
James Woods
Leonard Donofrio
Lorraine Bracco
Teresa Donofrio
Rosie Perez
Shirley Perro
Sara Gilbert
Tina Barr
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Penny Marshall
- Writers
- Morgan Ward
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Penny Marshall, shot by Miroslav Ondříček. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Hans Zimmer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Lawrence Jordan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Drew Barrymore and Steve Zahn and Adam Garcia carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "She did everything wrong, but got everything right.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0200027 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Penny Marshall directs. Miroslav Ondříček behind the camera. Hans Zimmer scores. Lawrence Jordan cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Earned back only 74% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 225 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Directed by Penny Marshall, shot by Miroslav Ondříček. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by Hans Zimmer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Lawrence Jordan shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6Drew Barrymore and Steve Zahn and Adam Garcia carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "She did everything wrong, but got everything right.".
- 8IMDB entry: tt0200027 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Classified under 13 themes, including "puberty", "dreams", "baby", "becoming an adult".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Miroslav Ondříček
- Original score
- Hans Zimmer
- Editing
- Lawrence Jordan
- Production design
- Bill Groom
- Costume design
- Cynthia Flynt
- Makeup / hair
- Judi Goodman
- Sound
- Jeffrey J. Haboush
- Runtime
- 131 min · 2h 11m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $48,000,000
- Box office
- $35,700,000
- Return
- 74% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- PG-13
Also by
Penny Marshall
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Columbia Pictures
US
Gracie Films
US
Key crew
- ProducerJulie Ansell
- EditorLawrence Jordan
- ProstheticsGary Archer
- Co-ProducerTimothy M. Bourne
- Additional SoundtrackHeitor Pereira
- Co-ProducerAmy Lemisch
- Co-ProducerBeverly D'Onofrio
- ProducerLaurence Mark
- ProducerJames L. Brooks
- CastingSheila Jaffe
- CastingGeorgianne Walken
- EditorRichard Marks
- Executive ProducerMorgan Ward
- Costume DesignCynthia Flynt
- Executive ProducerBridget Johnson
- ProducerSara Colleton
- Art DirectionTeresa Carriker-Thayer
- HairstylistJudi Goodman
- BookBeverly D'Onofrio
- ProducerRichard Sakai
- Production DesignBill Groom
- Set DecorationGeorge DeTitta Jr.
- Construction CoordinatorRaymond M. Samitz
- Dialogue EditorKim Drummond
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- puberty
- dreams
- baby
- becoming an adult
- wife
- drug addiction
- biography
- based on true story
- unwillingly pregnant
- writer
- marriage problems
- woman director
- sentimental
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical2001-10-19PG-13
- Physical2002-03-19PG-13· DVD / VHS
- TV2002-10-19PG-13· HBO
Also known as
International titles
- Los chicos de mi vidaES
- I ragazzi della mia vitaIT
- Kluci v mém životěCZ
- Unterwegs mit JungsDE
- Ta agoria tis zois mouGR
- Thank You, BoysJP
