Representation of Asperger's in Films
Asperger's Syndrome is not a common issue presented in many films, however some of the films below explore this syndrome and or similar conditions:
(http://www.shrinktank.com/psychologist-lists-top-10-movies-aspergers/)
Synopsis:
A lonely Australian girl (Toni Collette) and an elderly Jewish man (Philip Seymour Hoffman) in New York develop an unlikely friendship through letters.
More on Asperger's and Autism in 'Mary and Max':
https://blog.animationstudies.org/?p=704
Synopsis:
When car dealer Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) learns that his estranged father has died, he returns home to Cincinnati, where he discovers that he has an autistic older brother named Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) and that his father's $3 million fortune is being left to the mental institution in which Raymond lives. Motivated by his father's money, Charlie checks Raymond out of the facility in order to return with him to Los Angeles. The brothers' cross-country trip ends up changing both their lives.
Rain Man is a movie about two conditions — autism and Savant Syndrome. Not all autistic persons are savants, in fact only one in 10 autistic persons have any savant abilities, let alone the prodigious skills of Raymond Babbitt.
Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a mathematics savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Using a small-town CPA office as a cover, he makes his living as a freelance accountant for dangerous criminal organizations. With a Treasury agent (J.K. Simmons) hot on his heels, Christian takes on a state-of-the-art robotics company as a legitimate client. As Wolff gets closer to the truth about a discrepancy that involves millions of dollars, the body count starts to rise.
The reviews have been mixed:
https://www.inverse.com/article/22382-the-accountant-ben-affleck-autism-disorder-superhero
Adam Raki (Hugh Dancy), an electronics engineer, has an autism disorder called Asperger syndrome. When a young woman named Beth (Rose Byrne) moves into his apartment building, he is quite taken with her. She does not quite know how to react to Adam's unconventional overtures but decides to give him a chance nonetheless. But Beth's parents are apprehensive about her new romance, which could end the young lovers' relationship before it has a chance.
New York taxi driver Donald Morton (Josh Hartnett) has Asperger's syndrome, a type of autism. Proficient with numbers but shy around people, Donald organizes a support group for others with with his condition. Isabelle Sorenson (Radha Mitchell), who is direct to a fault and practical, but easily upset by any perceived insult, joins the group. The two fall in love, but their mutual difficulty in coping with their condition threatens their fragile relationship.
This film pushes more boundaries by exploring a romantic relationship between two people with asperger's.
Napoleon Dynamite, the quirky hit film from 2004, is a fascinating portrayal of a teenager with social difficulties. The character Napoleon provokes intriguing diagnostic questions in distinguishing between mental illness and the spectrum of normal behavior. He demonstrates several symptoms of Asperger's disorder, yet he also challenges the notion that children and adolescents with Asperger's spectrum disorders will not be accepted or understood. He forms genuine, connected friendships, and fans of the movie appear to celebrate his quirkiness rather than ridicule his oddities. The authors explore the extent to which cultural issues have an impact on psychiatric phenomenology, as well as the potential treatment issues for someone with his apparent social challenges. Finally, the authors offer possible explanations for Napoleon's immense popularity, especially among adolescents. With the rise of computer technology, our culture has fully embraced the idea of what has come to be called "geekdom," and the authors consider the idea that Napoleon's popularity may be a more rural equivalent for this phenomenon. The success of the movie appears to be related to a genuine celebration of Napoleon himself.
Many of these films explore romance, whereas we wanted to explore the friendship, and development of relationships with our trailer, rather than focussing on the romantics.
(http://www.shrinktank.com/psychologist-lists-top-10-movies-aspergers/)
Mary and Max
Synopsis:
A lonely Australian girl (Toni Collette) and an elderly Jewish man (Philip Seymour Hoffman) in New York develop an unlikely friendship through letters.
More on Asperger's and Autism in 'Mary and Max':
https://blog.animationstudies.org/?p=704
Rainman
When car dealer Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) learns that his estranged father has died, he returns home to Cincinnati, where he discovers that he has an autistic older brother named Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) and that his father's $3 million fortune is being left to the mental institution in which Raymond lives. Motivated by his father's money, Charlie checks Raymond out of the facility in order to return with him to Los Angeles. The brothers' cross-country trip ends up changing both their lives.
Rain Man is a movie about two conditions — autism and Savant Syndrome. Not all autistic persons are savants, in fact only one in 10 autistic persons have any savant abilities, let alone the prodigious skills of Raymond Babbitt.
The Accountant
The reviews have been mixed:
https://www.inverse.com/article/22382-the-accountant-ben-affleck-autism-disorder-superhero
Adam
Adam Raki (Hugh Dancy), an electronics engineer, has an autism disorder called Asperger syndrome. When a young woman named Beth (Rose Byrne) moves into his apartment building, he is quite taken with her. She does not quite know how to react to Adam's unconventional overtures but decides to give him a chance nonetheless. But Beth's parents are apprehensive about her new romance, which could end the young lovers' relationship before it has a chance.
Mozart and The Whale
New York taxi driver Donald Morton (Josh Hartnett) has Asperger's syndrome, a type of autism. Proficient with numbers but shy around people, Donald organizes a support group for others with with his condition. Isabelle Sorenson (Radha Mitchell), who is direct to a fault and practical, but easily upset by any perceived insult, joins the group. The two fall in love, but their mutual difficulty in coping with their condition threatens their fragile relationship.
This film pushes more boundaries by exploring a romantic relationship between two people with asperger's.
Napoleon Dynamite
My Name Is Khan
Still relevant after the events of 9/11, My Name is Khan accurately depicts the story of a Muslim man who is an Aspie. And due to his eccentric behaviors, he attracts the attention of security resulting in him being considered a terrorist. The story brings in a therapeutic element and is one of the more accurate depictions of how Aspie’s can be stereotyped and misunderstood.
Many of these films explore romance, whereas we wanted to explore the friendship, and development of relationships with our trailer, rather than focussing on the romantics.
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