Rain Man
I recently watched the 1988 film "Rain Man" starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman (in the title role, who also happened to method act for this role, never breaking character throughout the filming, which is something Daniel Day-Lewis is also well-known for).
This is a film well known for bringing Autism to the forefront of popular culture and our society, but it is quite interesting to me that while doing the research I found out the Autism, as it is modernly known, first took shape in 1938 but it seemed to be something families preferred to sweep under the rug. I even caught a few pieces of the dialogue throughout the movie that showed even in the late 80s it isn't a completely accepted as a "true" diagnosis. Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) was quickly seen as a burden as a child and his father brought him to a hospital as a young child soon after his mother died because he simply couldn't or more appropriately didn't want to be burdened with a "different/difficult" child. He was also referred to as an "idiot savant" (someone extremely great with numbers and memory) which, as a teacher nowadays, I cannot even imagine using that language, especially in an age where we focus on mainstreaming "persons with autism." Believe me, I am a strong advocate for this, perhaps because I find myself particularly great at handling students with difficulties. I feel like I am in tune to students needs and differences, but to play Devil's Advocate for a moment, it also seems to me that Autism Spectrum seems to have gone from a once-in-awhile diagnosis to a seemingly over-diagnosed disease (much like ADD/ADHD). It has been eye-opening as a teacher because I have seen students that I definitely agree with their diagnosis (and then some kids that I feel confident in diagnosing myself), but I think oftentimes what gets lost in the shuffle is the whole concept of "getting to know the child as a whole, as a person."
I worked for 6 years as a Residential Specialist for a adult with Asperger's Syndrome (among other things) which made his daily living activities quite difficult. I learned a lot, about myself and the disease, with that experience. I especially learned that routines are extremely important with persons with autism. As a teacher, in the primary grades, I've discovered that routines are just as important with students.
I bring this up because at the beginning of the film, Tom Cruise's character, Charlie, sort of kidnaps his autistic brother for selfish reasons (he is the beneficiary of a $3 million trust left by their dead father), and he does not understand that his brother is different as well as how to deal with his brother's differences. It is amazing to see him transform throughout the film and his anger subsides. By the end of the film he wants to keep his brother with him, but the doctors/lawyers disagree and he ends up going back to the hospital, which in a sense creates a tragic ending because you would like to see a better ending, but it should be understood that autism, as a disorder, makes it extremely difficult, albeit impossible, for them to make an emotional connection, therefore where exactly would see brother be better off? I would say that last act of the film makes the movie what it is.
Autism certainly is real and present in our lives nowadays, but I think instead of using it as an "excuse" or a "way out," I would really like to see people have compassion for the person as a whole, to try harder to understand the person and not just define them by their disease. I will continue to fight for my students' rights as people because I thoroughly enjoy having every day experiences with them. I enjoy feeling like I am making a difference, like I am making an impact in each child's life. That makes me enjoy my job every day. That lets me know that I am doing exactly what I should be doing.
I don't know why I seem to be picking these "heavy" and "emotional" films along my journey, or maybe it is that these films are choosing me; but I have always been drawn to films that I can feel an emotional connection to, films that draw something out of me. I do enjoy the occasional "Hollywood" film, but films that tell a true story, that portray life as it really is.
This is a film well known for bringing Autism to the forefront of popular culture and our society, but it is quite interesting to me that while doing the research I found out the Autism, as it is modernly known, first took shape in 1938 but it seemed to be something families preferred to sweep under the rug. I even caught a few pieces of the dialogue throughout the movie that showed even in the late 80s it isn't a completely accepted as a "true" diagnosis. Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) was quickly seen as a burden as a child and his father brought him to a hospital as a young child soon after his mother died because he simply couldn't or more appropriately didn't want to be burdened with a "different/difficult" child. He was also referred to as an "idiot savant" (someone extremely great with numbers and memory) which, as a teacher nowadays, I cannot even imagine using that language, especially in an age where we focus on mainstreaming "persons with autism." Believe me, I am a strong advocate for this, perhaps because I find myself particularly great at handling students with difficulties. I feel like I am in tune to students needs and differences, but to play Devil's Advocate for a moment, it also seems to me that Autism Spectrum seems to have gone from a once-in-awhile diagnosis to a seemingly over-diagnosed disease (much like ADD/ADHD). It has been eye-opening as a teacher because I have seen students that I definitely agree with their diagnosis (and then some kids that I feel confident in diagnosing myself), but I think oftentimes what gets lost in the shuffle is the whole concept of "getting to know the child as a whole, as a person."
I worked for 6 years as a Residential Specialist for a adult with Asperger's Syndrome (among other things) which made his daily living activities quite difficult. I learned a lot, about myself and the disease, with that experience. I especially learned that routines are extremely important with persons with autism. As a teacher, in the primary grades, I've discovered that routines are just as important with students.
I bring this up because at the beginning of the film, Tom Cruise's character, Charlie, sort of kidnaps his autistic brother for selfish reasons (he is the beneficiary of a $3 million trust left by their dead father), and he does not understand that his brother is different as well as how to deal with his brother's differences. It is amazing to see him transform throughout the film and his anger subsides. By the end of the film he wants to keep his brother with him, but the doctors/lawyers disagree and he ends up going back to the hospital, which in a sense creates a tragic ending because you would like to see a better ending, but it should be understood that autism, as a disorder, makes it extremely difficult, albeit impossible, for them to make an emotional connection, therefore where exactly would see brother be better off? I would say that last act of the film makes the movie what it is.
Autism certainly is real and present in our lives nowadays, but I think instead of using it as an "excuse" or a "way out," I would really like to see people have compassion for the person as a whole, to try harder to understand the person and not just define them by their disease. I will continue to fight for my students' rights as people because I thoroughly enjoy having every day experiences with them. I enjoy feeling like I am making a difference, like I am making an impact in each child's life. That makes me enjoy my job every day. That lets me know that I am doing exactly what I should be doing.
I don't know why I seem to be picking these "heavy" and "emotional" films along my journey, or maybe it is that these films are choosing me; but I have always been drawn to films that I can feel an emotional connection to, films that draw something out of me. I do enjoy the occasional "Hollywood" film, but films that tell a true story, that portray life as it really is.
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