Autism/PDD – The News You Need This Week

Happy New Year! Stay tuned for our new weekly Interviews feature starting this Friday. I will be speaking with Jessica from Special Olympics.

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 Autism Discrimination, Ignorance or Just a Movie Review?

When I first heard about the new Tom Hanks – Sandra Bullock movie, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, I did not realize that it was a story about a boy with Autism. The brief synopsis I read just mentioned that it was the story of nine-year-old Oskar Schell who loses his father in the World Trade Center attacks and must come to grips with his loss. Apparently it is not mentioned in the novel or in the film but he is suspected of having Asperger’s Syndrome.

This article on Autism Key,  New Tom Hanks Film Unearths Autism Discrimination,  is an interesting look at some of the reviews. Author Michelle Gonzalez makes some interesting observations on the reactions to the movie.

I have had my share of interactions with ignorant people and I admit to being a bit shocked by some of the statements made about how Oskar was portrayed in the movie. But then again, I am understandably biased. I suppose most people who read this are. That being said, we are the ones who need to educate the ignorant.

Are these statements just being made out of ignorance? Should Oskar’s character have been re-written to show less Autistic Characteristics? Are we being unreasonable to ask movie goers to spend two hours with this character?

What do you think?

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Sandra