Hatrack River Forum: New Film with Autism-related Plot

This is topic New Film with Autism-related Plot - based on someone I know! in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :

Originally, I thought of posting this as an additional post to the United States of Leland thread, but decided this film annoucement deserved its own title.

A few days ago, I got a message relayed to me through the NDY webpage from someone I haven't heard from in at least 7 or 8 years.

Jerry Newport is a guy I corresponded with over ten years ago when we "met" on an autism email list. I was a lot more involved in the autism world then than I am now.

Jerry is an adult with Asperger's syndrome - or "high-functioning" autism. His wife also has that label. More down below.

Among other talents, Jerry is a "calendar savant" - a couple years in a row he emailed me on my birthday to tell me how many years, months and days old I was. (He might even have broken it down into minutes and seconds, but I'm not sure) He included other stuff like what day of the week I was born on.

Anyway, Jerry wasn't contacting just to say "hello" - he and his wife are now the subjects of a movie, starring Josh Hartnett and written by Ron Bass, the screenwriter who penned "Rainman," "Sleeping with the Enemy," "Waiting to Exhale," and other films.

The film, which just finished filming, is titled "Mozart and the Whale."

And there's a website!

From the site:

quote:
"Mozart and the Whale" was inspired by the real-life experiences of a man named Jerry Newport, who didn't even know he suffered from an autistic disorder until a psychologist friend recommended he see the movie "Rainman." Newport eventually started a support group through the Autism Society of Los Angeles. Here he would meet his future wife, Mary.
***
Despite Newport's experience, the relationship between Donald and Isabelle - however complex and difficult - demonstrates that a diagnosis of AS need not portend doom in a person's life. Asperger's Syndrome is part and parcel of which a person is - not something that the medical and mental health communities separate from him or her and "cure."

Couple of notes - Jerry wasn't aware they said he "suffered" from Asperger's. He doesn't describe himself that way and he's going to take that up with them.

The website is a little annoying. It appears to be "read only" - I was unable to do a regular print of the page and was also unable to copy any text. The quotes are retyped and might have some errors.

But not only did I get a note from a long-lost acquaintance - this just might wash the taste of "Leland" out of my mouth. [Smile]

[ April 27, 2004, 04:42 PM: Message edited by: sndrake ]

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

I don't know that I would applaud it yet until I actually see it when it comes out. They could, still, for all their good intents, make people with Asperger's look bad -- like second class, or "suffering" from Aspergers.

But I hope it does all those with AS diagnosis a favor, and portrays them as humans like us.

Farmgirl

Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :

Sheesh. So much for taking a stab at optimism for a change.

[Wink]

Really - I should say I am "cautiously optimistic" - if the film really is based on Jerry's life, it should be a good thing for people with an Asperger's label. His life hasn't been easy - but it's been interesting, he's interesting. Jerry's not a "Rainman" - a film a lot of people have problems with.

He's a good guy. I figure if it shows that two people with Asperger's can live life, navigate the broader world, and even find love - it will be way beyond ANY movie that has ever touched on autism or just about any neurological condition.

I'm giving myself the gift of a day of cautious optimism. Don't rain on my optimism. [Razz]

Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :

I'm glad you are optimistic. Don't read the Feminism thread. It will destroy it, and optimism is a fragile thing that needs to be nurtured while you have it.

Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :

My sister used to count her age in days old. But she didn't know it automatically. Is it weird to care about those things even if you're not a savant?

Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :

Funny, AJ, I was thinking that about the abortion thread.

Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :

I'm not a good person to try to get a handle on what is "normal," but I don't think so. [Smile]

Where it gets weird and unusual is with people who don't have to do a lot of work to figure those things out.

*the middle initial N in my name does not stand for "normal."* [Razz]