Ezra: release date, cast, plot and everything we know

Robert De Niro and William Fitzgerald raise fists with Bobby Cannavale in the background in Ezra
(Image credit: Mister Smith Entertainment)

Ezra — previously known as Inappropriate Behaviour — is a new comedy from Tony Goldwyn (The Last Kiss).

Described as a "funny at times devastating, all-around heart-warming and honest tale", Ezra follows Max Bernal, a late-night comedy writer who's turned away from his former success to become a not-so-successful stand-up comedian. Max hasn't just made an ill-advised career change, either, as he's also blown up his marriage to his ex-wife, Jenna, and has had to move back in with his father.

The pair remain at odds about how best to look after their 11-year-old autistic son, Ezra, a conflict that prompts Max to kidnap his own son and take him on the cross-country road trip of a lifetime.

Here's what we know about Ezra so far...

Ezra release date

Ezra is due to arrive in US theaters on Friday, May 31. At the time of writing, we do not yet have a UK release date for the movie.  

For more info on all the latest releases, check out our guide to the new movies still to release in 2024. 

Ezra cast

The Watcher star Bobby Cannavale leads the cast as Max Bernal. Bobby Cannavale stars opposite his real-life partner, Rose Byrne, who's playing Max's ex-wife, Jenna. 

Hollywood veteran Robert De Niro plays Max's father, and newcomer William Fitzgerald plays Max's son, Ezra.

In addition, the film also features Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring), Rainn Wilson (The Office), and Whoopi Golberg (Ghost), though their roles in the film have not been disclosed just yet.

Ezra plot

The full plot summary for the film (shared by Mister Smith Entertainment) reads: the movie "is a comic drama about the relationship between Max Brandel (BOBBY CANNAVALE), a formerly successful late-night comedy writer turned not-so-successful stand-up comic, and his brilliant but complicated nine-year-old son Ezra, who struggles with autism. 

"Having recently blown up both his career and his marriage, Max now lives with his father, Stan (ROBERT DE NIRO), a gifted chef whose eccentricities caused him to lose his restaurant and become a doorman. Max, profoundly at odds with his ex-wife and her new boyfriend about how to address their son’s needs, decides to kidnap Ezra and take him on a cross-country odyssey, with hilariously disastrous results."

Is there an Ezra trailer? 

Yes! The trailer for Ezra arrived in mid-March 2024. It gives us a taste of what viewers have had to say about the movie so far, and sets up the road trip and the challenges that our ensemble face.

Who's working on Ezra?

Actor and director Tony Goldwyn is behind the camera on Ezra as the director, working from the screenplay penned by Tony Spiridakis. Spiridakis drew from his own experience of raising a neurodiverse child to bring the film to life.

Tony Goldwyn movies

You might know Tony Goldwyn as an actor; he's had roles in everything from Oppenheimer and Ghost to Scandal, Chambers, King Richard, and Law & Order; he's also the voice of Tarzan from the Disney animated classic. Goldwyn is also a director and has helmed episodes of TV shows and a handful of shorts and movies over the years. Here's a list of his feature films, to date:

  • A Walk on the Moon [1999]
  • Someone Like You [2001]
  • The Last Kiss [2006]
  • Ezra [2023]
Martin Shore
Staff Writer at WhatToWatch.com

Martin is a Staff Writer with WhatToWatch.com, where he produces a variety of articles focused on the latest and greatest films and TV shows. 

Some of his favorite shows are What We Do In The Shadows, Bridgerton, Gangs of London, The Witcher, Doctor Who, and Ghosts. When he’s not watching TV or at the movies, Martin’s probably still in front of a screen playing the latest video games, reading, or watching the NFL.