My name is Khan. Worst AS film ever?

Post Reply New Topic

I just saw the above film and thought it was the worst film I have ever seen about a person with autism.

The story-line was appalling, my non-autistic friend begged me to turn it off and in the end I had to because it was boring beyond words.

I understand well the reason why people need to stick to stereotypes, from wooden geeky aspies to hand-washing OCDers, but this film does no person with AS any favours what so ever.

The only film for me about autism that had beauty and wonder in it was Snowcake.

I actually saw the movie when it was in theaters (and believe me, finding a theater that would show it was an ordeal). I didn't think it was that bad, honestly-- longer and more convoluted than I was expecting, but then, it's a Bollywood movie. Of course it's going to be a little weird to the average Western movie audience. I swear to you, when I saw it, I was the only Caucasian person in the auditorium; everyone else was Indian, and they gave me really strange looks for being there. One gentleman even outright asked me why I was there, and if I liked Bollywood movies.

From a perspective of accuracy-- yeah, you're probably right. I grew up in North Georgia, so when the movie moved the setting there, I could see it was a bit idealized for dramatic effect (plus I can't recall any hurricanes ever hitting me, as far inland as I was). Still, I thought it was interesting just from the standpoint of seeing the way another culture very different from Western society views AS.

Can you explain exactly why it was a bad portrayal of AS? Just curious.

By the way, Snowcake was awesome.

Sorry Chris, I loved it and have watched it lots of times. I like foreign films and I think it was good, I like the themes in it. I think they were very lucky to get such a high profile actor willing to play someone with autism and it will really raise the profile of aspergers in india. I think it was a mistake for them to give him 'all' the symptoms of aspergers as most people only have a few of them, but I have met people like him at meet ups. I really liked the film and the music score too. perhaps you dont like it as he is not the same sort of aspie as you, as you relate more to the 'arty' empathic aspies? I liked mozart and the whale aswell and lots of people hate that too so maybe Im just not that fussy lol.

Hi LB......no need to say sorry at all for us not holding the same interests.

What i loved about snowcake is that there was something beautiful about it for me. Like I said, there was a deep sense of wonder. There was magic, and was left feeling like I wanted to dance.

It is true that I feel in a different world from literal aspies, but then I feel in a different world from the autistic woman in snowcake.

For me My name is khan was too sentimental for my liking, and did little for breaking the many assumptions and restricting images the public have of people with HFA.

I'm waiting for the French to bring out a film on HFA, now they do things with much better style. They often celebrate the wonder and uniqueness of people with difference. From Amilee to Nic-nacs (whatever it was)

Wishing you well from London.

I do believe it was a horribly misleading portrayal of someone with AS. There is a disclaimer before the start of the film which basically cautions the audience that the representation of the "disorder" is embellished.

I raised the issue in another thread concerning the movie that he does not meet the diagnostic criteria for AS because his usage of speech represented a clinically significant speech delay.

It's art, and the story is hardly about an aspie. More about racism and love and loss. I also sort of reject the argument that one should always portray a super realistic display of any community- his over-exaggerated ASD traits serve a purpose. I mean this with all due respect- that's how art works. You express something that cannot be shown by just presenting your average, typical situation. Even so, Aspergers is definitely up for debate as a separate diagnosis and one of the most famous "Aspies" in the U.S. (Temple Grandin) had a significant speech delay herself and more accurately could be described as HFA.

Temple Grandin does not identify as aspie, she refers to herself as autistic.

People with autistic disorder can communicate and be successful, too!

Was the character in the movie Thumbsucker's condition? Did they make him subtly high-functioning autistic? I never see anyone mentioning that movie.

Well I've some good reviews on Snow cake, yes I do like Sigourney Weaver and yes it appears to be on youtube. I think I might watch that movie tonight or later on this week.

daspie:

I know you don't want to go about this; but with the movie in the topic it can't be avoided. Also, there had to be at least one counter-opinion to balance things out. after that harsh opinion. This is not a debate; you do not have to reply. For you are right on how this whole conversation will unwind in the long term. However, I believe there is a misunderstanding and the best way to empathy is a little dialogue and discussion,
First, all religions are going to be self-orientated as each will have the self-image as being the correct one.

Second, Jihad means literally "strife"; it is just as likely for a Muslim to strive to make themselves better. It is not meant only as a violent word, modern connotations have given it.

The Muslim empire back in the day (around 100 years ago?) did not "convert or die" the nations around it. There were some bad muslim-individuals, as pointed out, that may have been aggressive with their units. Anyways, politics are always confusing; and don't translate to simplify convert or die. Also the only aspect of the second-class citizenship was that non-muslims payed a tax. (muslims payed zakat-charity anyways). Religions were tolerated, and many jews were educated under the system, and spread modern intellectual knowledge throughout the world as they rejoined their other communities (in the form of math, medicine and philosophies).

Do not let absolutes be your only perception. That is a mindset you build only in your pawns on a chess-board. Don't take Islam and Culture as the same thing. The nature of the culture among the Muslims in your neighboring country, are not the only template out there. Also take into account the education system in that area. The are still whole uneducated communities, mixed with poverty. That leads to a lot of violence, and bad culture. There are still cultures there that think the wife is responsible for the child's gender. That bigotry has nothing to do with Islam as a phenomena; but I do see a trend with poverty, education, and culture.