Ezra: A stand-up comedian and his autistic son go on the run

When it comes to the challenges of being a stand-up comedian, it’s hard to beat Richard Gadd’s in Baby Reindeer. Though Robert De Niro does take it a few steps further.

Max Brandel (Bobby Cannavale) and his son Ezra (William Fitzgerald).

When it comes to the challenges of being a stand-up comedian, it’s hard to beat Richard Gadd’s in the confronting and controversial ­Netflix drama Baby Reindeer. Though Robert De Niro does take it a few steps further in Martin Scorsese’s 1982 satire The King of Comedy.

De Niro has a supporting role in the American drama Ezra. He’s Stan, a former chef who works as a hotel doorman. His son, Max Brandel (Bobby Cannavale), is a stand-up comedian who doesn’t do himself any favours. In the opening scene he’s performing at a comedy club.

He starts talking about his 11-year-old son Ezra, who is autistic. “Autistic kids don’t give a f..k, man.” The laughs are light and management is displeased.

This irritates Max, who has a short fuse, but what angers him is how Ezra is treated at the regular school he attends. In short, it’s thought he should be transferred to a special needs school and put on medication.

Max tells his ex-wife Jenna (Australian actor Rose Byrne) that he doesn’t want that for their son: “He needs to be seen, heard and appreciated for who he is and what he has to offer.”

Ezra is played by 15-year-old newcomer William Fitzgerald, who is on the autism spectrum and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. His parents were on set during the shoot and his performance is impressive.

Ezra is intelligent and doesn’t like to be touched. “You may go now,” he says when a parent tries to hug him.

When Jenna raises an eyebrow about father and son bingeing the TV series Breaking Bad, Max says: “He’s been reading The New York Times since he was five. I think he can handle Walter White.”

Jenna and Max are in broad agreement but she is rightly worried about his quick temper. When he loses it with a doctor, the main plot line is established: Max and Ezra on the run, heading to Los Angeles where Max is booked on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, with Jenna and Stan in pursuit.

This movie is directed by Tony Goldwyn, who has a role as Jenna’s lawyer boyfriend, and is written by Tony Spiridakis. Both director and writer are best known for their work in television dramas.

It explores important ideas such as how it feels to be autistic – “Stupid brain! Stupid Brain! Stupid brain!” Ezra cries, slapping his forehead, after making a mistake – and how to raise such a child. It also considers whether behaviours are passed on through generations.

De Niro’s best scenes are when he remembers his past – he stopped being a chef after punching a diner who complained his steak was not rare enough, telling him “Now there’s blood on your plate” – and his shortcomings as a father.

This is worthwhile film-making and the performances are solid, but there’s too much reliance on the schmaltz factor, especially towards the end. It will be interesting to see what the young actor Fitzgerald does next.

Ezra (M)

101 minutes
In cinemas

★★½