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Reviews
Life, Animated (2016)
Heartwarming Story of a Boy Overcoming Obstacles Using the Power of Disney Films
The movie, Life, Animated, directed by Roger Ross Williams tells the story of a boy named Owen Suskind who was diagnosed with autism at 3 years old. The movie, which is based off of the book with the same name by Ron Suskind, follows the family as they go through the hardships regarding Owen's diagnosis that involved his sudden loss of speech. His parents were heart-broken upon hearing the news, especially with it being the 1990's where the autism spectrum was not introduced yet. As Owen withdrew from the world his parents described his diagnosis with autism as him "vanishing." The family saw a glimmer of hope when they discovered that he was able to communicate using classic Disney animated movies, which he loved watching with his brother even before his diagnosis. He used the stories from Disney movies to understand and connect with the world. He began using scenes from the movie to express his feelings and was able to learn how to read with the help of his family. The movie goes back and forth from his childhood into the present day where Owen is a young adult getting ready to move out and begin living independently in an apartment for adults with special needs. As he is going through a big transition, Owen uncovers that some aspects of growing up including dating and breakups cannot be explained by Disney movies. With the support of his family and therapists they show Owen preparing for the future and confronting the typical problems faced by young adults. I appreciated that the film showcased a heartwarming story of an individual using his passions to make sense of his world but did not stray away from showing an honest depiction of the struggles that he continued to face as he navigated adulthood.