All About Steve:
US movie (2009)
Mary Horowitz (Sandra Bullock)
May Horowitz is a crossword constructor obsessed with her job and a very limited social life. She has a very unusual style of interaction, with little awareness of social conventions and usual topics of conversation. Mary is set up on a blind date with Steve (Bradley Cooper), and an episode of teasing by some primary school kids about her lack of a boyfriend and a conventional life motivates her to take the date seriously.
Having decided that she needs a boyfriend, and that this will help her to be more "normal", she manages to appear normal for a few minutes on her date, gets into some heavy petting, but then ruins this by talking constantly and inappropriately. Steve makes and excuse, and leaves with a polite "you should come visit". With an autistic lack of social awareness she takes this literally, persues Steve, and Steve's workmates take the opportunity to manipulate Mary into continuing the stalking. She eventually makes some friends along the way in travels around the countryside who are as odd as her and more accepting of her quirks. After a high-profile rescue from a mine a news coverage, Mary eventually spurs Steve and his mates into realising its not acceptible to treat someone like they have treated her, and that she means well.
Overall, this is a movie which accurately depicts a woman likely to have Asperger's Syndrome in a sympathetic fashion.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
The Hangover: Alan
The Hangover
2009 US movie
Alan (Zach Galifianakis)
This movie, about a Buck's Night in Vegas gone wrong, uses the inappropriate behaviour of one of the characters, Alan, as a central focus for much of the humour.
Alan is the bride's brother, and is invited along more as a courtesy to the bride than because he is considered a close friend of the other three main characters. We learn that he has always been a little odd: his father tells the other characters that he shouldn't drive his car, as "there's something wrong with him". Alan is a single man, possibly in his late 30s, and his behaviour seems to indicate he has had little to no romantic experience. He also appears to have had little experience with friends of any sort: describing himself as a "lone wolf" until his future brother-in-law spends enough time with him for him to consider that he has made a friend.
To detail all the inappropriate behaviour would describe a large part of the movie: it includes his plan to be "blood brothers", his creepy friendship song and many, many other episodes. One of the other characters indicates that he is "too stupid to insult": reflecting not so much a low IQ but a lack of social cognition. The writers seem to have been aware that the character has substantial autistic traits given there is a Rainman homage towards the end of the movie.
2009 US movie
Alan (Zach Galifianakis)
This movie, about a Buck's Night in Vegas gone wrong, uses the inappropriate behaviour of one of the characters, Alan, as a central focus for much of the humour.
Alan is the bride's brother, and is invited along more as a courtesy to the bride than because he is considered a close friend of the other three main characters. We learn that he has always been a little odd: his father tells the other characters that he shouldn't drive his car, as "there's something wrong with him". Alan is a single man, possibly in his late 30s, and his behaviour seems to indicate he has had little to no romantic experience. He also appears to have had little experience with friends of any sort: describing himself as a "lone wolf" until his future brother-in-law spends enough time with him for him to consider that he has made a friend.
To detail all the inappropriate behaviour would describe a large part of the movie: it includes his plan to be "blood brothers", his creepy friendship song and many, many other episodes. One of the other characters indicates that he is "too stupid to insult": reflecting not so much a low IQ but a lack of social cognition. The writers seem to have been aware that the character has substantial autistic traits given there is a Rainman homage towards the end of the movie.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Adam: the Asperger hunk!
Adam
US movie 2009
Adam (Hugh Dancy)
I haven't seen this yet (its out the 20th of Aug) but given the trailer talks about the character of Adam having AS I think its safe to add it here! He appears to be obsessed with space travel and astronomy. Also stars Rose Byrne, an accomplished Aussie actress. More to follow when I see it!
US movie 2009
Adam (Hugh Dancy)
I haven't seen this yet (its out the 20th of Aug) but given the trailer talks about the character of Adam having AS I think its safe to add it here! He appears to be obsessed with space travel and astronomy. Also stars Rose Byrne, an accomplished Aussie actress. More to follow when I see it!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Eagle Vs. Shark
Eagle Vs. Shark
NZ movie 2006
Jarrod (Jemaine Clement)
Lily McKinnon (Loren Horsley)
Most of Jarrod's friends
This is another classic Asperger movie, which has suffered a little from being very similar to both Mozart and the Whale (the costumes and emotional instability) and Napoleon Dynamite (the odd family and country setting). There's enough interesting and uniquely NZ aspects, though, to make it interesting.
Lily is a young woman who initially works in McDonalds, but it ridiculed by the other staff for her odd prosody and poor social skills, and fired under the excuse of needing to downsize. She has a crush on Jarrod, a very rude young man who appears to have no concern or perception of other people's feelings, which makes him a little less insightful than Lily: they meet when he gives her a note to ask one of her workmates out, while she makes it quite obvious she has a crush on him.
They get together in their very awkward way, with Lily persuing Jarrod despite outrageously inconsiderate behaviour. Like many people with AS, he has been bullied in school, and has become obsessed with revenge on his bully: a "nonfunctional special interest" which interferes with his being able to get on with his life. Jarrod is also so socially dysfunctional that despite having a young child from a one-night stand, he shows little interest in the girl and has not been able to be a parent to her: having the social cognition of a young child himself.
Despite the dark aspects of the movie, it is a fairly sympathetic look at two very odd characters with AS.
NZ movie 2006
Jarrod (Jemaine Clement)
Lily McKinnon (Loren Horsley)
Most of Jarrod's friends
This is another classic Asperger movie, which has suffered a little from being very similar to both Mozart and the Whale (the costumes and emotional instability) and Napoleon Dynamite (the odd family and country setting). There's enough interesting and uniquely NZ aspects, though, to make it interesting.
Lily is a young woman who initially works in McDonalds, but it ridiculed by the other staff for her odd prosody and poor social skills, and fired under the excuse of needing to downsize. She has a crush on Jarrod, a very rude young man who appears to have no concern or perception of other people's feelings, which makes him a little less insightful than Lily: they meet when he gives her a note to ask one of her workmates out, while she makes it quite obvious she has a crush on him.
They get together in their very awkward way, with Lily persuing Jarrod despite outrageously inconsiderate behaviour. Like many people with AS, he has been bullied in school, and has become obsessed with revenge on his bully: a "nonfunctional special interest" which interferes with his being able to get on with his life. Jarrod is also so socially dysfunctional that despite having a young child from a one-night stand, he shows little interest in the girl and has not been able to be a parent to her: having the social cognition of a young child himself.
Despite the dark aspects of the movie, it is a fairly sympathetic look at two very odd characters with AS.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
US TV series
Dr. Virginia Dixon (Mary McDonnnell)
This character was introduced for a 3 episode arc, shown on Australian TV for the first time last week. The character is very unlikely: she behaves like a severely autistic person, with seemingly no effort to appear normal. It is really very unlikely that someone (or at least that a woman) wold make it through surgical training with this type of behaviour: she would in real life to have made major concessions to behaving normally, and more likely not been accepted into the training programme in the first place (I'm come across potential surgeons with signs of AS who have been rejected from trining for far less obvious behaviour). But then basis in reality has never been this series' strong point, so for those looking for the fantasy that someone with AS can behave like this and reach the top of a medical career, this is the place to look!
US TV series
Dr. Virginia Dixon (Mary McDonnnell)
This character was introduced for a 3 episode arc, shown on Australian TV for the first time last week. The character is very unlikely: she behaves like a severely autistic person, with seemingly no effort to appear normal. It is really very unlikely that someone (or at least that a woman) wold make it through surgical training with this type of behaviour: she would in real life to have made major concessions to behaving normally, and more likely not been accepted into the training programme in the first place (I'm come across potential surgeons with signs of AS who have been rejected from trining for far less obvious behaviour). But then basis in reality has never been this series' strong point, so for those looking for the fantasy that someone with AS can behave like this and reach the top of a medical career, this is the place to look!
Reign over me
Reign over me
US movie (1997)
Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler)
Adam Sandler ventures again into the world of unusual personalities/developmental disability, but a little less obvious this time as there seems to be another explanation for this man’s behaviour. Charlie is dentist who’s whole family was killed several year prior in the September 11 attacks. He has not recovered from this, and cut off all friends and social activity, except for playing drums in his band. Music appears to be a special interest; with interest in this not waning with his trauma. Although Charlie might be considered to be depressed, his behaviour is outside the range of a normally depressed person, and sometimes off in an almost manic, childish way. He seems to have difficulty in judging the feelings of others: for example after his friend’s father has died, Charlie expects him to continue having fun with him. He has difficulty with social contact: not due to anxiety, but this seems to be just his manner. His eye contact is odd, and he cannot talk about his feelings well at all. Charlie’s acquaintances give hints that they think his behaviour is odd: one calls him a “retard” and the young daughter of his friend says he acts like he is younger than her younger sister.
US movie (1997)
Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler)
Adam Sandler ventures again into the world of unusual personalities/developmental disability, but a little less obvious this time as there seems to be another explanation for this man’s behaviour. Charlie is dentist who’s whole family was killed several year prior in the September 11 attacks. He has not recovered from this, and cut off all friends and social activity, except for playing drums in his band. Music appears to be a special interest; with interest in this not waning with his trauma. Although Charlie might be considered to be depressed, his behaviour is outside the range of a normally depressed person, and sometimes off in an almost manic, childish way. He seems to have difficulty in judging the feelings of others: for example after his friend’s father has died, Charlie expects him to continue having fun with him. He has difficulty with social contact: not due to anxiety, but this seems to be just his manner. His eye contact is odd, and he cannot talk about his feelings well at all. Charlie’s acquaintances give hints that they think his behaviour is odd: one calls him a “retard” and the young daughter of his friend says he acts like he is younger than her younger sister.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
A Beautiful Mind
A Beautiful Mind
US movie (2001)
John Nash (Russell Crowe)
I said in the introduction that I didn’t want to include real people, but I just rewatched this movie, having seen it the first time when it came out and I knew nothing about Aspergers. Since then I’d read someone say that Russell Crowe “played the character as Aspergers” so checked this out. And its true: he doesn’t just play the character as Aspergers, but every aspect of this character’s behaviour is consistent with Aspergers, apart from the psychotic aspects. People with Aspergers are no less likely to develop schizophrenia than other people, so this is of course not inconsistent with Aspergers. John Nash (in the movie: I make no claims to know what he was really like, although everything else I looked through on the internet portrays him as similar) has had lifelong difficulties getting along with people: his primary school teacher told him he has “two helping of brains and one helping of heart”. He has poor eye contact, almost no social skills and very odd use of facial expressions. Like many people with Aspergers he feels that basically he lives to work: if he can’t do this he is useless.
US movie (2001)
John Nash (Russell Crowe)
I said in the introduction that I didn’t want to include real people, but I just rewatched this movie, having seen it the first time when it came out and I knew nothing about Aspergers. Since then I’d read someone say that Russell Crowe “played the character as Aspergers” so checked this out. And its true: he doesn’t just play the character as Aspergers, but every aspect of this character’s behaviour is consistent with Aspergers, apart from the psychotic aspects. People with Aspergers are no less likely to develop schizophrenia than other people, so this is of course not inconsistent with Aspergers. John Nash (in the movie: I make no claims to know what he was really like, although everything else I looked through on the internet portrays him as similar) has had lifelong difficulties getting along with people: his primary school teacher told him he has “two helping of brains and one helping of heart”. He has poor eye contact, almost no social skills and very odd use of facial expressions. Like many people with Aspergers he feels that basically he lives to work: if he can’t do this he is useless.
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