If a serious movie about Asperger's was made...

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...what would you want to see in it? How would you want the symptoms depicted? What kind of struggles would you find could relate to yours?

Well, the number ONE point / issue / whatever that I'd like to see a movie get-across, is the dichotomy that so many of us face of "smart" and "stupid" residing in the same body / brain. NTs just can't figure it out----and, in their defense, we Aspies don't understand / get EXTREMELY frustrated by it, as well. Hopefully, it would lessen the "But, you don't LOOK (or, "seem like") someone who has Autism".

A movie that showed someone with advanced knowledge of some things (advanced knowledge of math is too "easy"----besides, it's been done), but then, couldn't tie his shoe laces, or balance his checkbook, or drive a car, or answer a multi-line phone at work, or whatever (depending on the age, of the main character).

Also, I'd REALLY like the movie to have an ADULT main character----I don't mean to be rude, but I'm really SICK of most things being about CHILDREN with Asperger's / Autism.

(Note: I think this thread should be in "Random", or "GAD"----I feel you'd get better / more responses [a Mod'll usually move it for you, if you ask them nicely].)

How about a movie where the Aspy isn't a savant? I'm getting pretty tired of that stereotype...only a small percentage of us are savants.

If a "serious" movie was made I would hope someone like Tony Attwood had some consultant input at an early stage of the script development.

The most important thing would be for a filmmaker to get beyond gendered stereotypes and surface presentations. Show the AS human being underneath feeling human feelings explore the prejudices that neurotypical people have which are untrue, unfair and unhelpful to the potential and feelings of AS people.

Possibly. It all depends not on how realistic autism is portrayed necessarily, but on writing, filmmaking, and acting. Still, it would be a noble effort if wellmade. I did enjoy movies such as Mozart And The Whale, which while flawed, were decent enough filmwork.

A character who isn't summed up as a monotone, hyper logical, genius, robotic, emotionless, humourless nerd.

I'd like to see more "types" of Asperger's than the ones where everyone's very obviously "quirky," savant or severely affected outwardly as well as inwardly. I actually found the movie "Mozart and the Whale" disappointing because the behaviors of the main characters were stereotypical and cartoonish, in my view.

There are lots of movies about more outwardly "showing" autism ranging from Rainman to Mozart and the Whale, but I'd like to see a film about one of the people with asperger's who don't "seem" to the world like there's anything wrong -- but there is. The ones who manage to "pass" to most people in their general life, but who experience struggles then get the cold shoulder precisely because they've presented so well to most people.

There's a film to be made about that level of autism and the sometimes harsher reactions that person can face from loved ones, co-workers or acquaintances.

I'd like to see a movie about an aspie "everyman". Someone who maybe didn't do so well in school, works a low end job, lives in a dingy apartment, awkwardly attempts to socialize and find a romantic partner... basically something about an ordinary human being with emotions, fears, dreams, and ambitions without any special talents who just happens to fall under the autism spectrum.

Have you seen the movie Ghost World? I think Steve Buscemi's character is basically what I'd call a "regular Joe" Aspy. The film never states that he has Aspergers (and as far as I know, it hasn't been stated by the filmmakers either), but I don't think it has to!

I watched it years ago, but I don't remember much about it. It was a neat film though.

Y'know, I never thought of Buscemi's character as an Aspie, but I think you're right.

This, in my opinion, is why there aren't many realistic portrayals. The average aspie is boring. The media is interested in us when we're savants, or completely non-functioning. An inspirational tearjerker, or a tragedy that focuses on how we ruin the lives of our families. A good realistic movie would have to be gritty and relatable, a la Mary and Max.

I would like to see how to standing outside and looking in. That is how I feel my Asperger. Looking at the life I could have had, the life other people seems to live. And I would like to see that we can! That we are good to something, for example seeing details. And off course, we don´t like unexpected things to happen.

I think it would work if it were done in like a low-budget, documentary style. I don't think you could really do it as a normal Hollywood genre film. The life of a typical aspie is a very low key affair, and as such something with lots of overplayed drama and explosions wouldn't really work.

This is true. A movie is only thought to be any good in terms of "entertainment" if it does show someone being savant-y, or non-functioning, or tragic, or wildly inspirational. It wouldn't be interesting to show someone managing to get through a work day but coming home and pacing and monologuing until finding a way to transition into calming down and...making a sandwich.

If there's no Grandin-like inventions and triumphs, or Rainman screaming over the smoke alarm, or counting things in jars while other characters are in awe, or freaking out when the pretty girl tries to touch the guy, it would be a bland movie. It's a shame though. Mary and Max was the closest to it.

I was thinking, maybe a mockumentary in the spirit of FUBAR or Trailer Park Boys would work; give it a comedic slant and allow the main characters to poke fun at themselves, but also give it a more serious angle and realistically portray the day to day struggles of someone on the autism spectrum.

FUBAR was great in this regard because it revolved around the life of a headbanger and his friends in late 90s Alberta and their silly antics, but it also dealt with one of the main characters trying to come to terms with his diagnosis of testicular cancer, and how it affects him and the people he loves. It's often described as a comedy, but there's some real drama in there too, and the whole movie has a very organic, realistic feel to it. It made me feel somewhat nostalgic even because the characters on there reminded me of the guys my dad used to hang out with in the late 90s.