This is the stuff Hollywood was "made for" and is loved for. Even if this is rather an independent film, it has everything a big movie should have: truth, warmth/heart, a somewhat uplifting message, great characters. Yes, there are a lot of cliches (spoiler alert: the road trip, the scene with the prostitute - I know why it is there, but I could have done without it), but it is so wonderfully done and acted and it is courageous and on point in adressing and portraying how easy/common it is to take on prejudices/discriminations against one's own features and even use them in one's favor (kind of like a secondary gain). The important thing is to realize that you do that and address it. I thought all actors where great and I especially loved seeing Daphne Zuniga again, but I must admit I wouldn't have taken notice of the movie if it wasn't for the amazing, talented, cute RJ Mitte - he is a real gem and I would love to see more of him - shining a light on his talent and charisma is one of the many great things that Breaking Bad brought forth, thanks for that! I am not too happy about the ending (spoiler alert) - well, the conclusion is positive, but the sad thing before the conclusion feels too negative for the otherwise not too heavy-toned movie, and it calls forth once again the critics who emphasize the abundance of clichés - I am not a fan of clichés myself, but again: very rarely a movie nowadays can really provide 100 percent originality and as long as the clichés are presented in such a likeable, smart, brave way, I am fine with it (often they are hateful, and that's where I draw the line, no one needs negative, political clichés). Not every movie does have to reinvent the wheel, a well-done, working wheel after a well-known blueprint, not harming anybody but enjoying and enlighting the viewers, is a great thing. Thumbs up!

I didn't expect to see RJ Mitte in a feature film following Breaking Bad, but here we are. He could have been in something worse, but, with a simple script and story, it made me look forward to his next feature film role. Not a bad place to startI also enjoyed seeing Paloma Kwiatkowski again following her role in Bates Motel, and also Ray William Johnson.The story of course (if you've seen the trailer) focuses on Doug, a boy with Muscular Dystrophy, who decides to go on a road trip with a new friend and carer Scott, and Stephenie, a girl he has a crush on. Along the way hurdles and issues arise concerning both Doug and Scott.Mitte definitely gives it his all having to work through his real life condition, and I really recommend him for it. That being said I knew he could pull it off, having gotten through 5 seasons of Breaking Bad. I liked the characters enough, and how they talked with each other throughout. I wish Kwiatkowski had more to do; the film is primarily about Doug and Scott, and admittedly, not a film I'll remember her for. One thing I'll remember are the scenes where Doug's anger and resentment make him imagine saying certain things to people, and it's all in his head, kinda like the throat slash clip in Superbad. I enjoyed the scenes where Doug is finally doing stuff away from his overbearing mother.The script for this movie is like I said, simple. And I'm not gonna lie, really ends like a Transformers movie, just REALLY anti-climactic, it's like a dry fart. And the thing is, I saw it coming. The ending is just THERE, nothing else to it, it's passable.I give it a 6 out of 10

I am 67 years old and have enjoyed movies as far back as I can remember. I was watching Clark Gable films when he was still making them, and Steve McQueen was still in Alaska driving a tank for the Marines. My point? I have had a huge selection of films to watch, and I am telling you that this film is one of the best movies I have ever seen.The typecasting was dead on, for every single role, from the over-doting mother to the very rebellious "Scott" who drives the vehicle for "Doug" (whose life long ambition is to see Las Vegas just once before he dies). No, Doug does not die, but he wishes to complete the journey his deceased father had promised him.Ms Kwiatkowski plays "Stephanie", Doug's secret crush, and agrees to go with Scott and Doug to Vegas, just to convince Doug to get in the car with Scott, a person new to Doug's very sheltered life.Doug takes off with Scott and Stephanie, (violating his mothers' rules), and does not look back as this new and huge adventure unrolls.The film focus's on just these three people and it gives plenty of time for their personalities to be fleshed out and we are given the chance to see how their lives inter-act in a shared experience.I strongly recommend this tale to anyone who has ever been bold enough to "color outside the lines", or jump from an aircraft into the dark, by parachute.

I wish the character traits as well as most of the plot wasn't so predictable, but even that didn't stop me from appreciating this drama. I don't think it should have ended like that, it seems they were trying to make it as sad as possible when it could have made it's point and end positively.Some of the acting and scenes were way out of place and odd, but most of it was great. Ray and RJ were really good, as well as the mother character, though the slow pace, too many driving street shots and shallow storyline were dragging the overall experience a bit down.However I think it's great for what it is. I don't like dramas, but I gave it a shot because I respect RWJ, and for a budget indie film - this is probably the best you can get. The overall editing and sound were top notch, beating many big-budget road trip movies by a long shot.Dive in with expectations of some cliché elements, but if you're into dramatic movies, you should be able to enjoy this one.I'm hoping Ray would go with a comedy or something more refreshing next time. I'm sure he wanted to try something new, after years of being a comedian and launching people who used him to gain their own audiences, which is why I want him to succeed - he deserves it for creating something from nothing and even launching other people (girlfriends) who didn't deserve it, but he'll be best in a comedy. However, again, if you enjoy simple dramas and won't be too nit-picky about it, this is a great film for you.