I Hate Rain Man!

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It's funny, I was talking about this very thing with a friend of mine whose son was recently diagnosed. She said when she thought of "severe" autism she pictured rainman. She was confused because her son didn't seem like that at all.

Amongst other things, I said to her that rainman was as much about real-life autism as "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" was about global warming!

Honestly, it's an old movie that came out around the time society was just "discovering" autism. So it has that basic initial view. The movie had it's purpose in bringing the disorder into the awareness of the general public, but since that time so much more has been learned about the disorder that I don't think anyone really equates an autistic person with that character.

It's just one of many cinematic adaptations of common disorders that is inaccurate. I know some people with MID that hate the movie "Sybil", for example.

I didn't know, however, that it was considered a slur! That's news to me.

It's indeed a slur, but it was the only movie for us to know more about autism! Sad fact isn't it?

This is a little off topic, but related. I don't think "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" involves anyone on the spectrum (at least not overtly or intended that way.) It centers around a character who is mentally ret*d and his family. I liked the movie, but it is not among my favorites. I thought it seemed believable.

"Being There" IS among my favorites. I think the author wanted to show how society often treats celebrities as a blank canvas that they fill as they like. Chauncey is intended to be someone who is ignorant about anything except what can be learned from network television of that time. Peter Sellers played him as if always in the stupor that many achieve spending hours in front of the "tube."

Rainman is also among my favorites. I do wish it didn't mislead people about the autism spectrum, however. I try to see characters in these types of movies as not representing everyone in a category of people, but as a unique individual who happens belong to one or more groups.

Mozart and the Whale, on the other hand, seemed to be only about people who have Apserger Syndrome. I never got the feeling that these were actual people who happened to have AS. I know they were based on real people, but for some reason, the performances never seemed quite real to me. I did enjoy some aspects of the film, however.

I was really very taken by Daniel's modesty.

I was also amused by the segment in Brain Man, where Prof. Baron-Cohen is explaining that the only thing that doesn't seem to indicate Asperger's Syndrome is that Daniel doesn't seemed to be socially impaired (enough) ! !!

I agree. Unfortunately, my friends in Singapore aren't too acceptive enough of him --- because he's an autistic homosexual.

How short-sighted.

He's great in his own right.

Brain Man is my man!

If you read up on information about the film, the character was based on several individuals with autism, as per the psychiatrist who helped, not just the special skills of Kim Peek (even though the makers wanted to at first).

A nice statistic for people; 60% of individuals with HFA are living in some form of institution today and require high level of support. This isn't the form of HFA known as AS, but Kanner's (aloof and speech delayed).

Rain Man is close to me in functioning. He's better in some ways (special skills and how much he talks), and I'm better in others, but our outcome is about the same. The only reason I'm not in an institution is because I have someone to care for me; he was put there by his family.

Whilst the special skills are rare, all of his other symptoms jive well for someone with HFA (case in point, me).

The guy in Cube is about the same.

People can say that he's not much of a character, but you don't know what people with autism are often experiencing in their mind, so it's accurate. Just look at the books in his room. He couldn't communicate what he knew when questioned by his brother, but he knew it in his head.

The Black Balloon shows someone with LFA, which is far more severe than Rain Man.

I think Daniel is a good candidate for 'Posterboy' for those who are recipients of prejudice.

He really has overcome a lot and I absolutely applaud his achievements and his courage in getting where he is.

Actually your Singapore friends were a little concise with their description, in THEIR words he is an:

Autistic, Gay, entrepreneur, teacher (he provides online language tuition through his website), published author, genius (he meets the criteria with a 150 score) and celebrity!

Yes, I can understand the prejudice, there are many people who are jealous of success.

For the rest of us, it gives us a very big target to aim for.

I think Daniel is a good candidate for 'Posterboy' for those who are recipients of prejudice.

He really has overcome a lot and I absolutely applaud his achievements and his courage in getting where he is.

Actually your Singapore friends were a little concise with their description, in THEIR words he is an:

Autistic, Gay, entrepreneur, teacher (he provides online language tuition through his website), published author, genius (he meets the criteria with a 150 score) and celebrity!

Yes, I can understand the prejudice, there are many people who are jealous of success.

For the rest of us, it gives us a very big target to aim for.

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Thank you. I can't agree more than this. He is indeed my role model, too.

I guess I should check out "Being There" . Besides that & Mozart and the Whale I also like "The Other Sister" and "Forrest Gump"... if I list anything else I should just put I'm an autie .

p.s. Mozart and the Whale is based of Jerry & Mary Newport (not sure what Mary's last name is b/c I think she kept it/ she may have maiden-Newport or just her maiden name, or something).

"Mary & Max" is a great film to check out too.

I should star in my own autism theamed movie, titled "Kink". Could you imagine the stereotypes that movie would create? "All autistics are Dandies who are stuck in the 1960s. They warship The Kinks and they look like their favourite members of that band. They also sound like they're from London, England."

I completely agree. In the past I've been told I'm an idiot savant because I learn languages very quickly. This by people who don't even know I'm HFA... they do know I am different though, and that term "idiot savant" has been used as a jibe to make them feel better about the fact they don't have a talent that I do.

While I don't think I'm a true savant, I'm certainly extremely gifted in that one area. It frustrates me that something which should be seen as a strength, my ability to learn languages, is treated as a joke.

I actually know a few people that dress like they are from the 1960's. They're not on the spectrum though which I find I bit weird. One in particular loves The Beatles, plays in a 60-70's sounding band, and everything about him just screams 1960's. I even saw a photo of him from the 80's and he still looked like a child from the 60's.

I would pay good money to see a movie like 'Kink'.

Thanks.

This is one I haven't heard of before despite googling for hours to get my complete 'must-buy' list.

I just googled it and the storyline looks great (to me)

I like the movie but I hate the stereotypes it started. I like snow cake better. The autistic character wasn't completely unfeeling, was female, had a job even if it was at the grocery store, and had a daughter. She even had a relationship with her daughter(Even if it's not the 'typical' one.)